


Damn It

by BillEffingCipher



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: 0 to 100 real quick, Abusive Father, Animal Abuse, Animal Killing, Anxiety, Attempt at Rape, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Attempted Sexual Assault, Blood, Broken Promises, Brother Feels, Brother Love, Bullying, Character Death, Cussing, Cutting, Depression, Dreams and Nightmares, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gang, Guilt, Hard childhood, Heart broken, Hunting, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Mental Abuse, Minor Character Death, Night Terrors, Nightmares, No Spoilers, Original Character Death(s), Other, Physical Abuse, Rape Attempt, References to Depression, References to Suicide, Self Harm, Slightly graphic, Stalking, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide, Swearing, Thoughts of Suicide, Verbal Abuse, broken trust, cursing, dog abuse, hints of incest, minor gagging, non con, not as bad as you think, not sure if the archive warning actually applies but i wanna be safe, stranger danger, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-01-10 01:04:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 37
Words: 163,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12287994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BillEffingCipher/pseuds/BillEffingCipher
Summary: For Stephen King's It, I suppose Pennywise is a monster that effects everyone. It targets all these different teens with different struggles, ultimately bringing them together to gain power in numbers to overcome the common monster between them.But for this story, it's different. It's about the singular monster that can so strongly affect other people, but there's only who can do anything to about it. It's not about the group effort to win. It's about those scary battles where you have to fight yourself. And the one who's fighting is the cutest, smol boy; not the struggling teens.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my own spin on the movie IT. So it's not going to be true to the movie. Don't worry, there are NO spoilers ;3 Let me know what y'all thing about it! I do kinda have an idea for another chapter if y'all are interested :3

Bill put the finishing touches on his little brother’s paper boat, being sure to coat it well enough with wax. He branded the boat with ‘S. S. Georgie’ and handed it back to him.

“H-Here you go, G-Georgie.”

 

“Thanks, Bill!” Georgie wrapped his arms around Bill’s neck tightly.

 

“B-B-Be careful o-out there. A-And don’t lose it.”

 

“I won’t!” He stopped himself and looked at him. “Maybe you feel better enough to come with me?”

 

“T-Tomorrow. I promise.”

The younger brother returned a smile then ran out of the room excitedly. Bill watched him, coughing in his arm as he looked out the window. Rain was beating down hard against the glass. The boy leaned back in his bed and watched the rain. He was getting better but he still needed rest. He would be able to play with Georgie tomorrow.

 

Downstairs, their mom was making dinner. She waved Georgie goodbye as he grabbed his rain jacket and ran out the door.

 

“Where the hell did he run off to?” The father walked into the kitchen once his show went to a commercial.

 

“He’s off to play with his paper boat.”

 

“And who told him he could do that?”

 

Sharon looked over to her husband. “What’s the harm in it?”

 

“It’s dark and it’s raining! Do you want another sick kid?”

 

“Zack…” Sharon lowered her voice as he raised his. She returned her gaze to the pot of peas she was stirring.

 

“He needs to come back here. Where’s the other one?”

 

“Bill is in his room; resting.” She wouldn’t look at him and her voice was annoyed with his attitude.  

 

“He’s been in bed all week! He should be better now. Bill! Get down here!” Zack started walking towards the stairs.

 

“He needs to rest!”

 

“He can after he fetches his brother. Bill!”

 

“Y-Yeah?” The boy peaked out of his bedroom.

 

“Did you tell Georgie he could go play in the rain?” Zack didn’t wait for his son’s stuttering to finish. “Go get him! Now.”

 

The parents argued with each other as Bill bundled up and left without them noticing. Once outside, he cleared out his throat and started looking for his brother’s bright, yellow jacket.

“G-Georgie!”

The rain didn’t let up as he walked into the street. He decided to follow the flow of the water on the road, figuring his brother let the boat ride it. As he reached the end of the street he saw Georgie on his knees looking in a sewer grate. He tried to call out to him but coughing interrupted him. The younger boy looked over and withdrew from the sewer opening.

“Billy!”

 

Bill was still coughing as he walked closer.

_Ugh… Stupid rain…_

 

Georgie pointed down at the sewer. “The boat fell in... But Pennywise got it for me.”

 

“W-W-Who?” He finally got his throat cleared enough to talk. He had a really unsettling feeling all of a sudden.

 

“The clown…” Georgie trailed off as he looked back down. No one was there. “He was just here! I saw him!” He crawled back down and peered in. “Hello?”

 

The older boy still didn’t feel right about any of this. He grabbed his brother’s arm to pull him back up.

“C-C-Come on, Georgie. D-Dad said come h-home.”

 

The mention of their dad was enough to convince the boy to abandon his boat, though he really didn’t want to leave without it. It was made special for him.

“Okay…”

He took his brother’s hand as he climbed to his feet. Before he could take a step away, a hand grabbed his ankle and yanked him down like a ragdoll. Bill was also brought down to the pavement hard. Everything happened so fast. All Bill knew was Georgie was gripping on him for dear life as he was being pulled by someone in the sewer. A clown, just like his brother said, was smiling back at him. It said something but it was drowned out by Georgie’s blood curdling screams. He was flailing and kicking like crazy. Bill scrambled to get a better grip on his brother before he was completely pulled down the sewer. He used one hand to hold on the edge of the sidewalk to prevent them both from falling in. Bill pulled back as hard as he could. He wasn’t even concerned if he was hurting Georgie. He just wanted him out. He wanted him safe. He never wanted to hear him scream like this again. Bill tried to stutter out a cry for help but words were his enemy as his brain ran faster than what his mouth could keep up with. He cried out in pain with his shoulder as he desperately pushed against the slick sidewalk, his other arm going further in the drain as his brother was being tugged harder. Eventually, Georgie felt the grip on his ankle be released. He didn’t know if he kicked enough to get free or if the clown gave up but he didn’t care.

“Pull out!! Bill!!”

 

Georgie shouted the command again as his brother used a burst of adrenaline to yank him out. They floundered on the pavement, Bill continuing to pull Georgie away from the drain. He quickly patted each other to make sure they weren’t too incredibly hurt.

“W-W-W-Why t-the hell i-is there a d-d-drain b-big enough for s-s-someone to fit through a-anyways?!”

 

“Let’s go!!”

Georgie was the first to his feet and Bill quickly followed as they ran hand-in-hand. The older boy fell back some, needing to stop running while he coughed. It sounded a lot worse.

 

“Bill! Come on!” Georgie was pulling on his brother but then realized he needed to stop.

“…Billy?”

 

Finally, he managed to hack something up and spit it out.

“I-I’m fine.”

 

Bill maneuvered Georgie out of the street as headlights showed up behind them. The younger boy was urging him to run again.

“We need to go! Now! Before he comes after us!”

 

“H-H-Hold on. It’s a c-cop.” Bill waved down the cop car and went over to the passenger window once it stopped. Georgie whined, staying linked to his brother.

“H-Hey! T-There’s someone i-in the s-sewer,” He pointed down to where they were. The dark windows lowered but it wasn’t a cop in the driver’s side. It was Pennywise.

 

“You left something, Georgie.” He extended the paper boat to them. They both screamed and ran away as fast as they could. Screeching of tires creeped behind them as the car was following them, gaining speed. Bill felt another coughing spell coming on but he had to keep running. He pulled Georgie out of the street so they could run across lawns. Much to his horror, the car ran over the curb and chased them, hitting mailboxes and anything else that may be in the way. They screamed louder as their house came into view. At some point the headlights were no longer shining on them, suggesting the car had stopped but Bill wasn’t going to chance it. They rushed inside where they met their parents in the kitchen. They were both hysterical and stuttering, trying to voice what they just went through.

 

“Both of you are doing this now?”

“CLOWN!” Georgie was the first to make out a word. Bill just nodded enthusiastically in agreement before he started coughing again.

 

Sharon moved to them and touched Bill’s forehead.

“My… You’re burning up! Go straight to bed! I’ll bring your dinner up to your room.” She pushed him off as he looked to Georgie who was still trying to explain everything to their dad.

 

“He was in the sewer!! And then he tried to run us over with a car!!”

 

Zack was annoyed at best.

“Stop with your stories and get ready for dinner. You’re lucky I even let you have dinner, you’re not supposed to be running around at night!”

 

Georgie quieted down and didn’t bring up much else during dinner. Afterwards, he stood at the sink while his mom disinfected the scrapes and bruises he had.

“What did you boys do?” She spoke softly as to not disturb Zack who was watching tv.

 

“It was the clown… I swear!”

 

“Don’t swear, honey.”

 

“But he’s real!! His name is Pennywise!”

 

“Shh! No more about this. You need to settle down so you’ll sleep tonight.” She finished up cleaning him and kissed the top of his head. “Go see if your brother has finished his dinner yet then get ready for bed.”

He nodded and turned to leave.

 

“Oh, wait a minute.” She grabbed a pack out of the freezer. “Take him a new ice pack while you’re up there.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Georgie walked up to Bill’s room, peeking in before entering.

“I got you an ice pack.”

 

Bill was just finishing eating when Georgie walked in. He moved his plate to his nightstand so his brother would have room to crawl on the bed.

“T-Thanks.”

 

“I don’t want to sleep tonight…”

 

“M-Me either.”

 

“What if he comes back to get us?”

 

Before Bill could respond, their mom walked in.

“I have some Tylenol for you. This should help your fever.”

She handed him the tablets and a cup of water.

“I told your father you should have stayed in bed… Now your fever is back and your cough sounds terrible. You’ll have to stay home from church tomorrow.”

 

“Can I sleep in here with Billy tonight?” Georgie looked up at her with pleading eyes. She blinked.

 

“Well, he’s sick, sweetie,”

 

“C-C-Can he?”

 

She looked between the both of them then sighed.

“I don’t want both of you sick in bed.”

 

“I won’t get sick!”

 

“Y-Yeah, I w-won’t get him s-sick!”

 

Sharon smiled at them. She found it sweet they wanted to stay close to one another.

“Oh, alright.”

 

“Alright what?” Zack stopped at the doorway.

 

“Georgie is just going to spend the night with Bill tonight.” She collected his empty plate from the nightstand.

 

“Spend the night?” The father repeated. “This isn’t some slumber party! Get in your own bed, boy!”

 

“They just want to be close… Let them.”

“They’re boys! They should want to fight each other not sleep with each other!” He motioned Georgie to get out. “Go on! Go to your own bed.”

 

The boy reluctantly crawled off his brother’s bed, glancing back at him as he left.

 

“And you,” The father pointed at Bill. “Lights out.”

 

“Y-Yes s-sir.” He leaned over to cut out his lamp and sink under his covers.

 

 The parents left his room but he could still hear their arguing.

“You’re too rough on them…”

“This is what happens when you baby them! You turn them into girls!”

 

Bill sighed and turned over to face the window. It was still raining. Usually the rain helped him fall asleep but tonight he was too worried. He was sure that thing would come back for them. He just didn’t know when. Without him realizing it, Bill drifted off into sleep. His body needed the rest.

 

The sound of a floorboard creak woke him up. He was so on edge that any sound would jerk him awake.

“Billy?”

 

He turned over to find Georgie. He covered his cough and scooted over as his brother climbed in.

“Y-You okay?”

 

“I’m scared… tired…” He slid under the covers and pressed his back against Bill.

“I-It’ll be okay. W-We’re safe.” He wasn’t able to convince himself but all he needed was to convince Georgie. Once the younger boy got settled, Bill relaxed as the big spoon. Georgie felt cool against Bill’s feverish skin and his hair smelled like lavender and cream. These combined made it easy for Bill to fall back into a deeper sleep. Georgie felt safe under his brother and was also able to sleep quickly. They didn’t know how they were going to face tomorrow but they had each other tonight.


	2. Balloon

Sharon gently knocked on Georgie’s door as she went by it.

“It’s time to get ready for church, sweetie.”

When she didn’t hear a response, she opened his door to find him missing. For a split second, she felt pure panic but then realized where he might be. She went across the hall to Bill’s room and peeked inside. The boys were completely passed out. She smiled and slowly closed the door. She wasn’t going to wake them. They needed their rest after all. Sharon didn’t care what her husband said, they were cute and there’s no harm in them being close.

 

Zack got up a little while later all dressed and ready to go.

“Where’s Georgie?” He asked Sharon as he walked in the kitchen. He fixed his tie and went to make himself a cup of coffee. “We’re going to be late if he’s not ready to go yet.”

 

“He’s sleeping.”

 

“I just went by his room, he’s not in there.”

 

She didn’t say anything at first, avoiding Zack’s gaze. She fumbled with her mug before setting it back down on the kitchen table.

“…I think we should just let the boys sleep. They’re tired,”

 

Zack immediately slammed his cup down with a huff and stormed upstairs. Sharon called after him.

“Zack, please! Just let them sleep!”

 

When he reached Bill’s room, he flung open the door.

“Alright, get up!”

 

Sharon was soon behind him, trying to slip through the doorway but her husband had her blocked out. “Leave the boys alone!”

 

“I said get up!”

 

They were both startled awake, Bill flipping on his back before sitting up and Georgie slinking further down. Bill covered his mouth as he went through yet another coughing spell.

 

“Come on! Let’s go! Get dressed for church so we can get a good parking spot!”

 

The youngest of the brothers whined as he slowly sat up.

“My throat hurts…”

 

“See, Zack? Let’s just let them both rest and we’ll go!” She tried again to get in the room but she was elbowed back. The father completely ignored her and only responded to Georgie.

 

“That’s what you get for deliberately disobeying me! Now hurry up or you’re getting a switch when we come home!”

 

“No!” Georgie immediately regretted his sudden outburst back at his dad.

 

Zack glared at him.

“Now you’re getting two. You want to go for three?”

Georgie quickly shook his head.

 

“Then go get dressed!”

 

“It’s Sunday…” Again, the mother was ignored. The boy wasn’t going to test his father anymore, climbing off the bed. Bill had been coughing this whole time.

 

“Would you shut up already?!”

 

Bill hunkered down, trying to swallow back his involuntary urge to cough. He tried swallowing his own saliva and holding his breath, anything to keep from coughing but it didn’t really work. As their dad shifted focus on the older boy, Georgie slipped by him and went to his mother’s embrace.

 

“I want to stay home…”

 

“Shh… Go get ready for church,” Sharon whispered, stroking his hair before sending him off to his room. When Georgie shut himself off in his room, Sharon touched Zack’s shoulder.

“Bill can’t help his cough. Leave him be, I’ll get everyone ready so why don’t you just go wait in the car.”

 

“Where’s Georgie?” He turned around to look for him.

 

“He’s getting ready. Go wait in the car, please. We’ll be right out.”

 

“You have five minutes!!” He called over to Georgie’s door. He muttered curses under his breath as he went downstairs.

When he was gone, Bill coughed harder to try to get his throat cleared. He hated these spells, each breath in triggered another cough. Sharon went to retrieve something before quickly coming back to Bill’s room.

“Here, sweetie. Take these.” She handed him a bag of honey flavored menthol cough drops.

 

Bill made a face of disgust. “I-I hate these! They d-don’t even taste like honey!”

 

“I know but they’ll help your cough.”

Sharon sighed stressfully, placing her hand on his forehead to check his temperature. “You still feel warm… I want you to stay in bed, laying down. No sitting up.” She pushed him back to lay down. “Sleep as much as you can. And take these.” She placed the bag on his nightstand. “I know they taste dreadful but they help. We’ll be back in about an hour.”

 

“I-I have to stay by myself?”

 

“You’re old enough to stay home alone. See you in a little bit,” She kissed his forehead. “Love you.”

 

“Love you…”

 

Sharon closed Bill’s door behind her. “Georgie, sweetie, are you ready?”

 

The boy cautiously stepped out of his room. He was dressed and ready to go. “Do I have to go?”

 

“I’m afraid so…” She gave a sad smile and checked his forehead. “You don’t have a fever… Is your throat still sore?”

“Yes.”

 

“I gave Bill all the cough drops. You can get one from him when we get back. We need to leave now.” She guided him along out to the car.

 

The ride to the church was silent. Georgie quietly missed his brother and worried about when he might see that clown again. He just hoped it wasn’t while he was separated from Bill. His mom combed her fingers in his hair as they walked up the church stairs. “Do you have to sing in chorus today?” he asked in a mumble.

 

“I do.” She sat her stuff down when they picked their seats then she went off to the front of the church. Georgie frowned and stayed silent as he sat next to his dad. He looked around at the people talking and going through the doors on either side of the altar. There weren’t that many people. It was a small church in a small town. People began filtering in the chorus section. The service was about to start. Zack was talking to another dad who sat behind him.

“How are the twins doing?”

“Oh, they’re just like their mother.” The man slapped a hand on Zack’s shoulder. “You’re lucky you got two boys, huh?”

He rolled his eyes and turned back around as the organ player started, signaling for people to take their seats and quiet down. “Please… They’re practically daughters.”

 

When everyone was prompted to stand and sing in unison, something caught Georgie’s attention from the corner of his eye. Outside at the playground was a red balloon perfectly still. It wasn’t tied to anything and it wasn’t moving along with the breeze. It was just there. Georgie’s heart skipped a beat as he remembered when Pennywise had asked him if he wanted a balloon. The boy jerked his attention back to the chorus who faced the pews. A couple seconds passed and he glanced back out the window. The balloon was gone. He sighed with relief, hoping he simply imagined it. Georgie focused back on the chorus, resting his gaze on his mom to calm himself. She always loved to sing and she had a beautiful voice for it. The boy started searching the other faces who sang. Some smiled like they enjoyed what they were doing while others were just going through the motions. Finally, his eyes reached a figure in the back row who wasn’t singing. He smiled a toothy grin and waved back at him. Pennywise. Georgie squeaked. His heart was pounding so much it hurt. He quickly looked around. No one seemed to notice the creepy clown was even there. He looked up to his dad who also seemed unchanged. Georgie was so scared he felt lightheaded. He sat down and was breathing heavily.

 

“Hey, Zack. What’s wrong with your boy?” The man behind him had brought Georgie to his dad’s attention. Instead of concerned, Zack looked annoyed. He nudged his son.

 

“What’s the matter with you? Stand up.”

 

Georgie shook his head, sucking in air like there wasn’t much of it. He looked back up the chorus to find the clown was still there. But now others were looking at him with concern. Thankfully, the final song was finished and the choir was dismissed as everyone else was allowed to sit back down. Pennywise stayed put, chuckling at Georgie’s discomfort. Sharon was soon beside her son, pulling him close and asking what was wrong.

“I wanna go home,” He whimpered in her chest. “I don’t feel good.” He had no way to describe how he felt. He was so panicked; his head hurt, he felt weak and dizzy, he felt like he could vomit all his insides. He knew he couldn’t describe what he saw because no one would believe him. All he could think about was as long as the clown was here then Bill would be safe back home. Sharon cooed softly in Georgie’s ear as she stroked his hair and cradled him. He didn’t hear anything she said. All he could hear was his rapid heartbeat.

 

Meanwhile, back at the house Bill was in a restless sleep. A click to awaken the sound of his television made him lazily open his eyes. He turned over with a groan to look at the tv. He didn’t remember having the tv on but perhaps he fell asleep with it. He felt hot and the ice pack had lost all its cool. He sighed loudly and kicked the covers away, looking on his nightstand for the remote. It wasn’t there. He always kept it there. As Bill sat up, the tv changed a channel and grew in volume. He fumbled in the covers, thinking the remote was in bed and he had accidently moved on it. He couldn’t find it. The tv was now changing channels rapidly like someone was holding down the button. Bill leaned over to check underneath the bed, still looking for the remote. He still didn’t see it but now the tv had cut off. Before Bill could pull himself up he heard his door slowly creak open. He hadn’t heard his family come home yet so he fell to the floor and scooted underneath the bed, watching the door. There were no feet behind the door. All that was there was a balloon that floated in. Bill stayed hidden, trying to stay as quiet as he could so he could listen for any footsteps.

“Don’t you want a balloon, Billy?”

 

Bill looked to his left to find Pennywise inches away from him. He shrieked and slammed his head against the underside of the bed as he clawed his way out. He backhanded the stupid balloon and bolted for the door that slammed shut just before he reached it. His hand grabbed desperately for something that was no longer there. He looked down to find the doorknob was gone. There wasn’t even a place for it. He screamed as loud as his sore throat allowed him, beating and scratching at the door. He glanced back to see Pennywise slowly crawling out from under the bed. He screeched again and ran to his closet where he closed himself in, holding the door shut with all his might. Another coughing spell threatened his throat as he tried to keep it clear. Now he wished he had one of those awful cough drops but they were out on his nightstand.

 

When the rest of the family pulled up in the driveway and stepped out of the car, Zack looked over at Georgie. “Go get a switch.”

 

“He doesn’t feel good…” Sharon placed her arm around the boy’s shoulder. Georgie was still quiet. He wouldn’t ever say what was wrong or what happened no matter who asked him. At least he was panicking anymore but he was exhausted.

 

“He’s faking it! He lied about the whole thing just so he could come home!”

 

“No, I didn’t!” Georgie couldn’t stay silent as he was being accused of lying. “It was the clown from last night! He was in the church! He’s following me!” He was upset, frustrated, and getting close to tears.

 

His father wasn’t having any of it. He pointed over to the thicket while he kept a hard look on Georgie.

“Now.”

 

The boy obeyed, not really having much of a choice. He drowned out his parents continuing to argue as he made his way over to the thicket. He searched for a stick that looked like it would hurt the least. Before he could grab the one he wanted, a string attached to a balloon floated in front of his face. He gasped and turned on his heel to sprint back to the house.

 

Zack dropped his conversation with his wife when he saw that Georgie didn’t bring back a stick.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

 

“He’s here!!”

 

“Who’s here?”

 

“The clown!!” Georgie was starting to panic again, searching around for where it was.

 

“Are you trying to get on my last nerves? Because you’re doing a great job at it.” Zack huffed as he went down to the thicket to get a switch himself.

 

“Mom! I’m not making this up!” The boy looked up her as he clung to her.

 

Sharon had a concerned look. She didn’t know what to do. She turned her attention to Zack then pushed Georgie along.

“Go inside. Now,” she mumbled in a hush whisper.

 

The boy took the hint and ran inside, leaving his mom to do her best to hold back his dad. He ran straight for Bill’s room, the only person who would believe him.

“Bill!”

He pushed open the door and looked around.

“Where are you?”

 

“G-Georgie?” Bill cautiously peeked out of the closet door, as if it could be a trick. When he saw it really was his brother, he opened the door and was greeted with Georgie running in his arms.

 

“It’s here! It’s outside!” The boy looked up at his brother with wide, fearful eyes.

 

Bill had a similar expression except his was laced with more panic.

“H-He’s inside.”

 

They both jumped and clung to each other tighter when they heard a loud thump. It was just their dad who stomped in the room.

 

“What the hell is going on with this family?! I’ve got one kid making up stories about an imaginary clown and the other is hiding in the closet!”

 

“T-T-The clown i-is real. I see him t-too.”

 

“I’ve had about enough of both of you!” He pointed the switch he collected at both of them. It was thicker than the one Georgie had picked out.

 

“Zack…” Sharon stood by the doorway.

 

“If I hear one more word about this imaginary clown, I’m shipping both of you off to a psychiatric ward! Imaginary. Clowns. Aren’t. Real.” He punctuated his sentence by pointing the switch at them. They flinched each time. “Say it!”

 

“Imaginary clowns aren’t real…”

“I-Imaginary clowns aren’t r-real.”

 

“Good! Now that’s the end of it!” He left the room with a huff and got down the stairs before he remembered he was still holding the switch.

“Georgie! Get down here!”

 

The boys looked at each other, still holding on to one another. Georgie made a slight noise before pulling away to meet his dad. Sharon frowned as she watched. She didn’t know what she could do to help them. She just wondered if they really did need psychiatric care.


	3. Steal My Sunshine

After dinner, Georgie went up into Bill’s room where he now sat across from his brother.

“What are we going to do?” He whispered, not wanting their parents to hear him.

 

Bill lightly bit his bottom lip. He watched as his little brother rubbed the welts on the back of his leg. There were three lashes; one for sleeping in Bill’s room, one for backtalking, and the third for getting on their dad’s nerves about all the clown business. The older boy remembered getting switches all too well. Though, he didn’t get whipped nearly as much as Georgie. Bill learned his lesson rather quick. His stuttering also aided in his inability to talkback as much.

 

“I don’t know… B-But we have t-to do something.”

 

Downstairs, their mom went to her husband.

“What should we do about the boys?”

 

“Do what I said. Ship them off to the loony bin.” Zack didn’t take his eyes off the television while he spoke.

 

“…I don’t feel right about doing that…”

 

“That’s what you do about kids who are broken.”

 

“They’re not broken.”

 

“One can barely a speak a sentence without stuttering! And the other is acting out with all this imaginary stuff. Maybe he’s got one of them attention disorders.”

 

Sharon sighed, not feeling she was getting anywhere with her husband.

“I don’t think that’s how those disorders work…”

 

Zack turned to her. “I’m serious when I say if they keep this up they’re gone.” He interrupted before she could respond. “This is a small town, Sharon. Word spreads like wildfire. Georgie made a scene in _church_ of all places! If those boys keep up this little game they’re playing, it’s going to reflect on us. We’ll be the parents with the crazy kids in the neighborhood.”

 

“T-They swear they see this… this clown. They’re terrified, I can see it in their eyes! They can’t be making this up…”

 

“Then they need mental help which is what asylums are for. I don’t care if they need to be in there for six months or twenty-seven years! Whatever it takes to get them better.”

 

Sharon cringed at the word. “I hear those places are terrible… They’re abusive to the patients, they tie them down, some are raped…!”

 

“You listen to too much gossip.” Zack had enough talking about the subject. He just wanted to focus on his show. Sharon took the hint and decided to go see how the boys were doing. Before she left the living room, Zack called for her attention. “I don’t _want_ to ship them off…” He mumbled. “They’re my boys. As flawed as they are… they’re mine. But surely you see that they can’t be running around town with this. If they start scaring the other children then their parents will come for us.”

 

“What if it’s just a cry for attention?”

 

“Then I’ll try to beat it out of them. They’re too old for that.”

 

Sharon didn’t give an audible response as she went up the stairs. She was very conflicted. She wanted to believe her kids are telling the truth but she couldn’t see what they see. She hoped it was just a game that they would grow out of soon. The thought of their stalker being real terrified her. What if she lost one of them? There’s no way she could handle losing her babies. When she got to Bill’s room, she knocked on the doorframe.

“Boys? Can we talk for a minute?”

 

They looked over at her. Bill was the one that nodded. “S-Sure.”

Georgie scooted over to sit in Bill’s lap while their mom sat down on the bed. She sighed, not sure where to begin.

 

“Are you two doing okay? Everything going well at school?”

 

Bill shrugged and Georgie didn’t know how to answer. The younger boy looked over his shoulder. Whiffs of menthol attracted his attention as a cough drop unwantedly clacked against Bill’s teeth. His face was fixed in a state of disgust from the strong taste but it did hinder his coughing spells.

 

“You do know you can tell me anything, right? No matter what, you can come to me. If another kid is picking on you or maybe a teacher is bothering you…?”

 

“We know.” Bill lied. He’s already given up hope on his parents helping him, but Georgie seemed to still think their mom was an ally.

 

She gave him a pained smile, seeing that she didn’t have Bill’s complete trust. She couldn’t blame him.

“I know things aren’t… ideal here at home. But I love you both. Your father and I both do. Always remember that.”

 

They nodded. Sharon reached over to check their temperatures.

“Georgie, you feel fine. How’s your throat?”

 

“A little scratchy.”

 

“Have you taken any cough drops?”

 

The boy shook his head and the older one clacked his cough drop against his teeth. “He can have mine…” He said with loath for the menthol. Sharon checked him next.

 

“Bill, you’re still a little warm. Do you think you’ll feel up to going to school tomorrow?”

 

That was a question he and Georgie were discussing before their mom came in. Bill felt exhausted especially after his scare earlier that day. He probably could handle school if he had to. He just wondered if it was safe. Bill feared nowhere would be safe.

“M-Maybe just o-one more day home.”

 

“Can I stay home too?”

 

Bill shook his head.

“N-No, you should go.” He met his brother’s eyes, silently telling him he’d be safer at school. “I-I’ll be okay.”

 

“Alright.” Sharon got up and kissed both their heads. “I love you.” She felt she needed to repeat herself so they would understand. She turned around when she got to the door. “Oh, Georgie, I can wake you up a little bit earlier so you can get back into your room before your father gets up for work. Would you like me to do that?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

She smiled, assuming he would want to sleep with Bill again. They were so comfortable with each other. It did seem a little odd to her since siblings did typically bicker more than want to be physically in contact with each other. But as long as her boys were happy, did it matter? Maybe they were just in that age of exploring.

“Goodnight. Both of you get some rest.”

 

“Goodnight!”

 

Bill started coughing to clear his throat and Georgie slid down in his lap to lean his head back on Bill’s shoulder.

“Are you sure I shouldn’t stay home with you?”

 

“Yes. S-School is the safest. Y-You’re surrounded by people.”

 

“I’m worried about you… You’ll be here alone…”

 

“I’ll f-fight back.”

Georgie frowned, looking at him. Bill returned the expression then leaned his head against his. The younger boy sighed and shut his eyes. He was tired for many reasons. Bill could empathize.

“Billy? …”

 

“Hm?”

 

Georgie was remembering the comments their dad had made at church. It bothered him but he didn’t know how to bring it up. He was too tired to really analyze anything. But it weighed heavily on his mind. Bill saw this and he gently pushed him off his lap to lay him down.

 

“Sleep.”

 

“I don’t want to sleep…” Georgie turned on his side with his back to Bill.

 

“Y-Yes you do.” The older boy started rubbing his back to put him to sleep. He did this for a couple minutes before Georgie spoke again.

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

“W-Why?”

 

“It’s all my fault… If I hadn’t gone to play outside none of this would be happening.”

 

“No, it’s not.” Bill frowned and rubbed his back some more.

 

Georgie trembled slightly, tears starting to stream down his face. “He would have killed me if you hadn’t shown up when you did… I’d be dead right now if it wasn’t for you… It’s my fault. He wants to kill us.”

 

Bill tugged him closer to calm him down. “Hey, s-stop.”

 

The boy shook his head and wiped his eyes. “No one else saw him and he was right there! And dad-“

 

“Hey! Stop… Stop…” Bill slumped over him, whispering for him to quiet down. “I-It’s okay. Y-You’re okay. We’re okay.”

 

He was still crying, not just because of the fear of Pennywise but also because of built up feelings that were starting to break apart. Bill grabbed his hand and held it. The boy pulled his hand away and Bill figured out what was bothering him. The older boy sat back up with a sigh.

“Dad’s wrong.”

 

“…”

 

“G-Georgie,”

 

“Then why is he so mean?”

 

“H-He’s just… tough.” The truth was Bill hadn’t found out why their father was so tough on them. He of course knew it dealt with them not living up to his expectations but it wasn’t a very satisfying answer.

“You have me. You’ll a-always have me.” He reached for his hand again.

 

Georgie was still upset. He just couldn’t wrap his mind around any of it. He didn’t understand what their father found so wrong about it. They liked being around each other. What was so wrong about that?

Bill shut off the light and slumped back over on Georgie. The boy intertwined their fingers and squeezed his brother’s hand. Georgie was still crying.

“I want him to stop being mean…”

 

“I-I know…”

 

“…Are we normal? …”

 

“…I don’t know. I-I just know w-we’re okay.”

 

Georgie turned over to face him, switching his other hand to be held. Bill touched noses with him to make his brother giggle. He smiled and slowly shut his eyes, a few more tears escaping.

“I love you,” he mumbled before he drifted off to sleep.

 

“I l-love you, too.”


	4. Cough Syrup

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 may seem a little short and uneventful but the next one is already written and has some stuff going down :3 I'll post it next week

Bill woke up the next day alone; the entire house dead silent. The only sound was a very faint ticking from a clock. It took the boy a few moments to register where he was, who he was, and the year. He sighed as he sat up, slowly remembering the threat of a stalker clown. Bill’s guard was all the way up. He wasn’t about to take any chances especially with what happened yesterday. His mind occasionally wandered to think about Georgie. He hoped he was safe and at least having a good day. As the teen padded to the bathroom he discovered he had a lot more energy than the days before. Sleep really was the best medicine, though he still had to clear out his throat every now and then.

 

Subconsciously, Bill’s guard lowered as he started running his thoughts like a checklist in the shower. He figured his mom would be home soon to spend lunch with him, like she did during the previous week. Georgie would also be coming home from school later so maybe he would play with him some. Tomorrow he’d be well enough to go to school so he’ll get to resume spending time with his friends. He couldn’t wait for the school year to be over.

_Those losers better not have forgotten about me_

 

Something floating to the ceiling interrupted the boy’s thoughts. He stared at the red balloon without blinking, fearing what would happen if he did. It floated over the shower curtain and descended in front of Bill’s face. For the second it was in front of him, it popped and splattered blood. The teen flinched back in surprise and groaned.

“P-Please just be ketchup…”

He cringed and gagged at the smell of the blood, quickly trying to wash it off him. When he stepped out of the shower he saw more blood smeared on the mirror. The message read: “Say Goodbye Before U Die”

 

Bill was in _no_ mood for this. He wanted to fight the stupid clown not play any games. He went up to the mirror and corrected the spelling by adding a “Y” and “O” in the steam. “Not today,” He mumbled.

It wasn’t too long after Bill got dressed and cleaned the mirror when he heard his mom come home.

 

“Bill?”

 

“I’m up.” He walked into the kitchen to meet his mom. He already made a thorough check of the house. No clown was hiding anywhere.

 

“Oh, good! How are you feeling?”

 

“A lot b-better.”

 

Sharon set down some groceries she had picked up on her way home. She felt Bill’s forehead to check his temperature and was pleased that he felt normal.

“You are better! Have you eaten yet?”

 

“No.”

 

“I’ll make something for us.”

 

Bill sat down at the table, checking around occasionally for anything out of the ordinary. Sharon sat across from him after she made lunch. She was determined to see if anything was bothering him. She wanted to uncover this acting out her sons were doing before her husband does anything too drastic.

“Are you excited to get back to school tomorrow?”

“I-I don’t know if I’d say t-that.”

 

She smiled. “That’s understandable.” She had to remind herself he was a teen and they can be moody fairly easily. “I’m sure you’re ready to be with your friends, huh?”

He didn’t respond. He was busy eating.

 

“Do you know if everything is going okay with Georgie? You two are so close I’m sure you’d be the first person he’d tell anything to.”

 

Bill shrugged. “He’s fine.”

 

“Well… Keep an eye out on him for me. He really looks up to you. You’re his best friend.”

 

The teen fought back a smile. “I will.”

 

When lunch was finished, Sharon kissed her son’s head before leaving again. Bill continued to keep his eyes peeled for Pennywise. The fact he didn’t see anything else only made him more paranoid. He made a few more rounds about the house before napping the rest of the time. He had a very strange dream that woke him up. He felt urged to do something but he stayed put on the couch. Bill tried his hardest to remember his dream but it was too foggy. He wasn’t even sure what he was meant to do. He just felt alert like something was about to happen.

 

 

Georgie happily walked home, excited that he hadn’t seen one sign of Pennywise the entire day. Maybe everything was just his imagination and now it was back to normal.

 

“Hello, little bunny.” The voice tried to sound sweet and luring but it ended up being more sick and demonic.

 

Georgie looked behind him to find a group of high schoolers following him home. He’s seen the group before around the high school. They were nothing but bullies. The boy only knew the name of the teen who spoke to him. He was the leader of his pack. It felt odd to Georgie that they were even talking to him. They usually only harassed other high schoolers.

 

“Hello…” He said cautiously.

 

“I haven’t seen your brother all last week! And he wasn’t at school today either…” Henry trailed off, looking back at his crew.

 

“He’s still a little sick.”

 

“Awww. Do you think he’ll feel up to come out and play today?”

 

Georgie didn’t respond. He didn’t like the way Henry was speaking to him. it felt suspicious. It felt like one of those situations he was taught to run away from. The teen saw that his target was getting closer to fleeing so he kept talking.

“Would you like to play instead? We have a fun game in mind! We just need one more…”

 

Georgie took a step back that matched Henry’s step forward.

“I’m not supposed to play with high schoolers…”

 

“Your brother is a high schooler, isn’t he? You play with him, don’t you? It’s no different with us. There’s just more of us so it’ll last longer.”

 

Georgie turned and ran, not able to take any more of the creepy vibe he was picking up on the bully. One of the other bullies moved to run after him but Henry raised his hand to stop him.

“No, let him go. We’ll play with him later.”

Henry led the group back from where they came. Victor, one of the teens, held back to walk next to the one that was prevented from following the kid. He looked at him to get his attention then he whispered, “I thought we were just going to beat the kid up.”

Belch made a similar face of confusion and shrugged. Vick kept it to himself but he prayed that what Henry had planned wasn’t what had popped in his head. He hated the sick things Henry and Patrick were so willing to do to people or animals just to get a thrill. It was demented. He didn’t know what was planned for “bunny” but he sure hoped he can run.

 

 

Bill heard his brother come home and he went in the kitchen to greet him. Being home alone was boring when he wasn’t asleep. Especially when there wasn’t anything to fight against like he had expected.

“H-Hey.”

“Hey!” Georgie hugged him tightly. “Are you still sick?”

 

“Nope! W-We can go out and d-do something if you want.”

 

“Um…” Georgie was worried the Bowers gang would be somewhere nearby. “I rather stay in…”

 

“Oh. O-Okay. W-We can play a board game.”

 

Georgie followed his brother into the living room, where they kept all their board games under the couch. He pulled out the old checkers board. It was missing some pieces but they could improvise. Georgie was oddly quiet as he watched Bill set up the board. The older boy noticed this, of course. Six red chips were missing so Bill used red M&Ms in their place.

“D-Did you see P-Pennywise?” He asked, figuring the clown was what had his brother quiet.

 

He shook his head and his eyes brightened up. “Not at all! Everything was normal!”

 

Bill nodded, not wanting to share his experience to get him scared.

 

“What about you?”

 

“M-Me neither.”

 

They were silent as they moved their pieces across the board. Georgie stared at his brother who met his eyes only occasionally.

“H-How was school?” He asked to break the silence.

 

“Fine.”

 

“Y-You’re lying.”

 

“So are _you._ ”

 

Bill couldn’t help but to smile as he jumped Georgie’s M&M and ate it. Why did he assume his brother wouldn’t be able to tell through his lie when he couldn’t even keep eye contact?

“Okay… I d-didn’t actually see him b-but I found this weird message o-or w-warning on the mirror. I-I don’t know what it means. T-The rest of the day was normal.”

 

Now it was Georgie’s turn to tell his day. Bill waited patiently.

“Henry followed me home and called me bunny.”

 

The teen racked his brain to come up with which Henry he could be talking about. The only one he could think of was the bully.

“B-Bowers?”

 

He nodded, keeping his eyes on the board. “He asked where you were and I said you were still sick. Then he wanted me to play with him so I ran the rest of the way home.”

 

“D-Did he h-hurt you?”

 

He shook his head. “Should I be worried?”

 

“No. D-Don’t worry about him. I-I’ll protect you from him.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Promise.”

Bill reached over the coffee table with his pinky extended. Georgie smiled and completed the bond with his pinky.


	5. Easy Target

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may have noticed that Chapter 5 has caused the archive warnings to change. That is purely to be safe. I'm not 100% sure if it falls underneath that warning or if i would be fine with keeping the warning off. The terrible tags give a better description. If it turns out that what I have written doesn't fall into that specific category then I'll change it back :3 let me know what you think! Should the warning stay or be removed?

 

That night, along with the next day, went completely normal. Georgie had soon forgotten all about their stalker while Bill kept out a watchful eye just to be safe.

After school dismissed, Bill walked his bike along with Georgie. They were laughing but someone caught the older boy’s attention. It was Beverly but she looked different. Her hair was now short. Georgie watched his brother curiously as he detoured over to her.

“H-Hey Beverly.”

 

“Hi, Bill.” She smiled and her eyes went to his little brother. He was staring at her. Georgie had seen Beverly before when her hair was longer but this was the first time he’s seen it short. It was Bill’s first time too.

 

“You look like a boy.” He said bluntly.

 

“G-Georgie! Y-You can’t go up to people and s-say that!”

 

He ignored his brother and continued his observations. “But you’re a girl…?”

 

Beverly chuckled, glancing at Bill’s face that was red from pure embarrassment. “Yes.” She told him.

 

Georgie blinked then smiled at her. “Cool!” He looked up at his brother. “Is that why you like her all of a sudden?” He was speaking louder than he probably should have been but he was amused by his brother’s horror. Georgie knew Bill more than anyone and he definitely knew he never had a spark of interest in Beverly before this point. He was just trying to figure out what changed.

“Because she looks like a boy now? And before she looked too much like a girl?”

 

Bill covered his face and prayed for a meteor to crash into him.

_Pennywise, please strike me down right now. Fucking Ronald McDonald, ANYONE, just kill me now. I accept death’s sweet embrace._

 

Beverly’s laugh made everything worse. Georgie also giggled until Bill looked at him. He pushed the boy away. “G-Georgie, g-go home.”

 

“Why?!”

 

“Y-You’re e-embarrassing me!” He hissed under his breath, continuing to nudge him along. “I’ll m-meet you at home!”

 

“Well, excuse ME for _living_!!” Georgie purposely got louder just to annoy his brother. When he saw that Bill wasn’t messing around, he ran off with a laugh, leaving his brother to accept that his face was now permanently red.

 

 

The boy slowed his run down to walk after he got out of distance from his brother.

 

“There’s my little bunny.” Henry stepped out from an alleyway when the boy walked past. Georgie gasped and went to run but he was quickly blocked in by the other gang members. The boy’s mouth was covered by a hand before he could call out. Another set of hands were heavy on his shoulders. His squirms weren’t strong enough to fight them off. Henry filled in the gap and petted a hand along Georgie’s head. His hand was smacked away as soon as it touched him. The sudden fight back made the older boy snort with amusement. He grinned at his friends. “We’ve got a lively one today, fellas.”

Richie pedaled on the opposite side of the street, glancing over and seeing the Bowers Gang. “Oh, shit!” He hunkered down as he rode by, expecting to be called after and chased. To his surprise, he went unnoticed. He looked back at the gang to see which sucker they captured and about wrecked when he saw Georgie. He repeatedly cursed as he sped up.

“Bill!!”

He shouted for his friend the moment he came into view. “BIIIILLLL!!!”

 

Bill sighed as he had to deal with yet another distraction.

“W-What is it, Richie?”

 

Richie was barely able to stop his bike from how fast he was going.

“Bowers has Georgie!!”

 

“And y-you left him?!” Bill’s eyes widened with terror.

 

“Wha… I came to find _YOU_!”

 

“S-Sorry,” He quickly told Beverly as he mounted his bike to find his brother.

 

“Wait, Bill! You can’t fight them all off on your own! And… you’re gone.” Richie groaned as he pedaled the other way to gather more help. Beverly also ran to get others. She went for the library where she knew Ben and Mike would be working on a project for school.

 

Bill stomped on his pedals. It didn’t matter how fast he went, it would never be fast enough. “G-Get away from him!!”

 

Patrick was the first to look over. “We have company,” he smirked.

“Oh, good. Hear that, bunny? Your brother came to watch.” Henry turned around to face the interrupter. His grin slowly fell as he realized the boy got closer but wasn’t slowing down. Bill rammed into Henry, knocking him down as well as flinging himself off his bike. The crew members stumbled back and lost any hold on Georgie.

 

“Run!” Bill ordered. The youngest bolted away without any hesitation.

 

“Don’t let the rabbit get away!!” Henry hissed at his crew members who obeyed immediately. “And, you!” He kicked the fallen bike out of his way and grabbed a fistful of Bill’s shirt. Bill delivered the first punch but Henry returned one harder, giving the boy a busted nose. “You can’t save him,” He growled, shoving Bill’s back against the pavement. The breath was knocked out of the teen. Henry got up and ran after his crew members when more kids started to show up. Richie had successfully rounded up Eddie and Stan. Beverly also tagged along with Ben and Mike following close behind.

 

“Bill! Oh, man… Your nose is bleeding like hell.” Eddie helped Bill get to his feet. The boy didn’t care about his nose. He had to find Georgie before Bowers.

“F-Find Georgie!”

 

 

Georgie ran for the woods, hoping the trees would help hide him from his predators. The three bullies split up to find the boy and surround him. Victor had him in sight but purposely lost his trail to give the boy a chance to get away. Even if he were to run right into him, he wasn’t going to call for the others. Now that he thought about it, maybe it would be good if he did find “bunny” first. He picked up his pace as he searched around, his heart sinking when Belch called out that he had him. If he could get there before Patrick then maybe there’d still be time to help. Victor panted as he found his friend. Georgie’s cries for his brother helped locate him.

“What do we do with him?” Belch asked, keeping a firm hold on the boy.

 

“Let’s just let him go…” He whispered. “We’ll say we lost him.”

 

“Are you kidding? Henry will _literally_ kill us!”

 

“I don’t want to go through with this, man…”

 

Belch made a noise and Victor stopped talking just in time as Patrick walked up. “There you are, rodent! You made things easier for us by finding a secluded place!”

 

Georgie didn’t bother responding to any of them, he just continued calling for help and squirming to get free.

 

“Bill!”

 

“Guess again!” Henry laughed demonically as he came from behind a tree. “Sorry, Bill couldn’t stay for the fun… But don’t worry. You can pretend one of us is him.”

He grabbed the boy from his minion and pushed him to the ground, falling on top of him.

“Pin him here,” he ordered Belch. The teen reluctantly obeyed, going to the ground to hold down the kid.

 

“Shut him up. We don’t need those losers interrupting.”

Patrick was the next to kneel down, reaching over to muffle the kid’s screaming with his hand. “Should we find somewhere else?”

 

Henry hummed as he looked around. “No… It may be more trouble than it’s worth to move our feisty little bunny. He’ll have something to choke on in a minute. You’d like that to be Bill, wouldn’t you? You’re so attached to his hip-“ He was cut off by a kick in the face by the boy. Patrick snorted with laughter but immediately dropped his face when Henry glared at him.

“Hold his legs, will ya?”

 

“Man, lay off…”

 

They all looked over at Victor, the only one still standing up. He was standing off to the side, not participating.

 

“What did you just say?” Henry growled.

 

“…Lay off.” Vick swallowed nervously. “He’s just a kid, man. Can’t we go pick on someone else?”

 

“Got cold feet? Just for that, _you_ get to start things off. …Or do you need more convincing?”

 

Patrick opened a switchblade. Victor’s eyes went from the blade to his friend, Belch, who couldn’t give him much help except a doomed look. A look that promised things would only get worse no matter what he did.

 

 

Back in town, the kids searched everywhere for Georgie, calling out his name. Stan was the first to head for the woods with Bill on his tail.

 

 

Belch looked away from the boy he was holding down. He didn’t like when their eyes met. Patrick chuckled when Georgie bit down on his hand. “I like pain, kid.” He then covered the boy’s nose along with his mouth to scare him with suffocation. Georgie panicked instantly, screaming louder and flailing harder as he was prevented to breathe. The teen laughed and uncovered his nose again, watching him hyperventilate. Victor also had to shift his eyes away from the boy. He had to grip Georgie’s legs tighter when he tried kicking away. There was nothing Victor or Belch could do but paly along no matter how bad they didn’t want to. They’d be killed.

 

“Why are you freaking out so much, little bunny?” Henry was now on the left side of Georgie, having switched places with Victor. His voice was a teasing manner. “It’s just a game of Twister! We’ll even move for you!” He smirked and took Patrick’s switchblade. He grabbed the boy’s hand and held it open. “Right hand… red!” He slashed the boy’s left palm, and Patrick applied more pressure to muffle his scream. Henry gave Victor a stare. “Didn’t you hear me?”

 

Victor met his friend’s eyes for a second. He blew out an extended exhale as he leaned over the boy and pressed his right hand against his bloody palm. The pain from the pressure made Georgie squirm more and squeal. Patrick chuckled at the boy’s reactions and used his free hand to hold one of his legs up at Vick’s side. Henry reached for the boy’s pants but then noticed a brat came to spoil the fun.

“Damn it…”

 

“He’s here!!” Stan called back for the others.

 

“What do we do?” Belch asked. Victor sighed with relief and pulled away from the boy. Henry huffed as he saw the brats outnumbered them. “Let’s get out of here… Sorry to cut things short right when we were getting to the fun part, bunny.” He smirked at him as he stood up. “We’ll make it up to you soon. Come on!” The gang scrambled away but Bill and the others chased after them.

Beverly, Ben, and Richie stayed behind with Georgie. Beverly was the first to kneel down next to him.

 

 

“Bill! Let’s go back. They’re not worth it.” Stan continued to talk him back but Bill was livid.

“I-I’m gonna k-kill them.” He wanted revenge on them but he was also mad at himself. Why did he tell Georgie to walk home alone? He should have stayed with him. He was mad at himself but mad at the bullies more. But he also needed to check on Georgie. With a huff, he turned around to go back with the others.

 

Georgie was crying into Beverly’s chest as she hugged him close. Ben was applying pressure to slow down the bleeding in his hand. Bill completely shoved passed Richie as he dropped to his knees in front of Beverly.

“G-Georgie…”

 

“…What took you so long? …” He trembled, not removing his face from Beverly’s shoulder. He didn’t want to be around so many people. He could feel all their gazes on him which made him want to cry more. Beverly rubbed his back and continued to hug him. She looked at Bill as broken heartedly and concerned as he felt.

 

“I-I’m s-sorry, Georgie…” He whispered.

 

“I want to go home…”

 

“L-Let’s go.”

 

 

Once they all patched up Georgie’s hand, everyone filtered out to go home. All who was left was Bill and his brother. Beverly stayed the longest but decided it would be best for them to be alone for a while. The boy didn’t feel like talking and Bill had no clue on what to say. Georgie didn’t give off a friendly vibe as he stared at the tv. He was uncomfortable, upset, and just mentally flipped upside down. He much rather had been left completely alone but Bill had curled up on the couch beside him, laying his head on his shoulder apologetically. The blood from Bill’s nosebleed had dried on his face as well as his shirt. He didn’t give it any thought. All that was going through the teen’s mind was he wanted his brother to be okay. He wanted him to lean his head against his to let him know he was forgiven and everything was okay. But he didn’t. Georgie stayed stiff, trying to allow the tv to drain him mentally. His left palm laid up, him feeling each pulse through it. The cut was deep and it continuously throbbed. Bill’s eyes drifted to the boy’s hand. He watched how the blood started to soak through the wrapping. He wondered if his brother would have been cut in more places or simply slaughtered afterwards if they hadn’t had found him. It made the teen nauseous to think about it. He sighed out a breath as he shut his eyes and turned to nuzzle the boy’s shoulder. He wasn’t very comfortable by how he was curled and leaned down but his comfort didn’t really matter. Bill only sat up straight when he heard their mother come home. Sharon did her usual, happy greeting for when she came home. She started to ask the boys what they wanted for dinner until she walked in the living room and saw them.

 

“What on earth happened?!”

 

There was a mess on the coffee table from where the kids were trying to figure out how to use the wrap. There was also a bloodied hand towel used until they got the bandages figured out. Her two boys were perched on the couch mute. Georgie wouldn’t even acknowledge she was there by looking at her. He just kept staring at the same place with an expressionless void. Bill, on the other hand, looked at her like he had been beaten in the streets. Neither of them spoke what happened.

During dinner that night, conversation was dead. Zack looked up from his plate and eyed each of his family members. He started with Georgie, who didn’t glance away from his plate. He was completely emotionless, blocking out everything and everyone. The boy didn’t know how to process what had happened but he knew how to shut down. Zack’s eyes then drifted across the table where Bill sat. Bill looked pained and guilty, occasionally glancing over at Georgie. Finally, his eyes shifted to his wife. She was also unusually quiet while she ate, giving Bill a concerned look whenever he lifted his head, hoping to make eye contact with him. Zack blinked and cleared his throat.

“So, we’re just not going to talk anymore?”

 

No one responded.

 

“Why can’t you all be this quiet when we go on vacation?” He waited a moment for someone to respond before he huffed, deciding he’d have to make conversation himself.

“What’s the matter with all of you?”

He looked to Georgie and pointed to his bandage, that was now properly applied thanks to Sharon. Bill’s face had also been cleaned and his shirt was changed. Georgie didn’t look at his dad as if he didn’t hear him.

“Hey! Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

 

Georgie looked up, his eyes as unforgiving as he felt. He held eye contact for a moment then he lowered them back to his plate. His father didn’t ask him anything else. Instead, he looked to Bill and pointed at him with his fork.

“This has something to do with you, doesn’t it?”

 

The teen swallowed and opened his mouth to speak when Georgie pushed away his plate. He didn’t finish everything. In fact, he barely touched any of it.

 

“Are you sure you don’t want more, honey?” His mom asked, still very concerned since she was left out in the dark about what was going on. The boy shook his head in response and left the table for his room.

 

They watched him leave in silence. Zack turned to Bill.

“What did you do?” He demanded.

Bill squeaked and tried to voice a response but he was having difficulty. Zack was getting impatient. Sharon saw this and looked to her husband. “Leave him alone, Zack…”

 

“That mute thing better not be permanent,” He motioned towards the direction Georgie walked away in. “The last thing I need is two kids who can’t speak properly.”

 

Bill sighed and also got up from the table. He didn’t even know if it would be a good idea to tell his parents what happened. What could they do? Nothing but make things worse, Bill had decided.

The teen went to his brother’s room to check on him.

 

Georgie was lying down on his bed, thumbing the bandaging around his hand. 

Bill slowly wandered into his room. "H-H-Hey." He was incredibly nervous which was something he didn't usually feel around his brother. 

 

 

He didn’t acknowledge him at first. He debated in his mind if he should or not. Finally, he did speak. "Hey," his response sounded as puny as he looked and felt. 

 

The older boy shifted on his feet and swallowed. "D-Do you w-wanna have a s-sleep over this weekend?" He didn’t know how to make Georgie feel better but he knew he loved when they had their little sleep-togethers.

 

"No." 

 

Bill was only half expecting the rejection, the other half assuming his brother would be his bubbly self and agree. His stomach was hurting. He didn't know what to do. Bill was still comprehending everything; he could much less imagine what Georgie's mind was going through. He was so used to being able to read his brother like an open book, but now he was closed off. Bill was shut out along with everyone else. It made the teen feel even worse. He knew he needed to find a way to talk about it with him. One thing for sure was that Georgie would ponder on it until it killed him. He needed to talk to vent. 

The teen saw him pick at his bandage. 

"D-Does it still hurt?"

 

"You promised..."

 

There it was. A drop-kick to the heart. Bill had to double check his footing so he wouldn't collapse. He had promised to protect him from Bowers, and he couldn’t even do that right. The guilt was crippling in his chest and he had to remind himself to breath.

"I know..." He was only able to mouth the words; his voice being completely knocked out of him. Georgie wasn't even looking.

 

Bill didn't know what more to say. He could apologize till he was blue in the face but that wouldn't take away his brother's hurt, distrust, or fear that's developed from this. He couldn't force closure on him. But _God_ he hoped somehow there would be a way he would bounce back. He wasn't sure who was dying quicker inside, himself or his brother. 

 

Georgie turned over on his side, his back to Bill. His mind was in a strange state of being frozen but also stuck on replay all at the same time. He didn't have the energy to analyze anything tonight. All he could do is just replay the whole thing. 

 

"I'm sorry," he managed to whisper as he left the room. Bill felt like he could cry. He blinked to discover tears were already falling. 

_Damn it!_


	6. Mistrust

Georgie and Bill shared restless nights in separate rooms. Whenever the youngest boy closed his eyes it only increased the vividness of his memories. He blinked somberly as figures in the dark began to morph and change shape. Georgie didn’t pay much attention to them, recalling when his father would scold and say figures in the dark are only his imagination. It wasn’t long when the figure turned into something he recognized, making him blink more to try to get it to change. When it didn’t, he yanked the covers over his head to hide himself from the teen and turned the other way. He wished Bill was next to him but he couldn’t bring up a voice to call for him. He also couldn’t bring himself to go to his brother’s room. He wanted the usual feeling of safety his brother would deliver but he also didn’t want anyone around him. Especially another male. His mind started to propose the question if he could ever feel safe around Bill anymore. The boy curled up and held his knees, replaying the events yet again. He sighed, emotionally and physically exhausted. He just didn’t understand it no matter how many times he repeated it. He couldn’t identify the suffocation he was feeling and it was frustrating. The boy squeezed his eyes shut as he ran over it one more time. A chuckle from the room made his eyes pry open.

 

Across the hall, Bill jerked awake with a gasp. He sluggishly sat up in a cold sweat, his body feeling like it was still coming out of the nightmare. Bill held his face in his hands as all memory of his dream drained away. The only thing he managed to retain seconds before it slipped away was he had experienced that dream before. It was recently. Bill wasn’t sure why until an oddly vivid, red balloon floated down the hall passed his open door. The teen trembled slightly as he slowly got off his bed, not removing his eyes from the doorway. It was completely dark yet that balloon was completely visible. Bill knew the layout of his room well enough to make it to his doorway without the aid of light. He wasn’t even sure why he felt so compelled to go after the balloon. The teen grabbed the doorframe and peaked his head out, looking both ways down the hall. He didn’t see anything. He waited to hear something but the silence was deafening. There weren’t even any sounds of crickets outside or cars riding by. Bill disobeyed the odd urge to search for the balloon as he retreated back into his room.

 

In the morning, both boys were dragging along from lack of rest. Bill noticed that Georgie looked more traumatized than he had before he went to bed. Georgie didn’t really acknowledge his brother as he sat across from him at the kitchen table. He usually sat beside him. He always sat beside him. Bill’s mood dropped yet another painfilled notch.

 

“You boys don’t look so good…” Their mom looked just as tired as they did. She was worrying so much about them. It didn’t help that Zach was of no comfort. She placed a bowl of cereal in front them for their breakfast. Georgie didn’t touch it. Bill also didn’t feel like eating but he knew he had to make himself eat something.

Sharon looked to Georgie.

“Sweetie, are you okay?”

 

She got no response. She turned to Bill with pleading eyes to tell her something. _Anything_ about what was going on with them. The teen simply looked away. When it was time for the boys to leave for school, Sharon pulled her oldest son aside before he could walk out of the door.

“I need to know what’s going on with both of you. _Now_.”

 

Bill sighed and shifted uncomfortably. “I-I wasn’t w-watching Georgie like I s-should have been... It’s my fault.”

 

Sharon couldn’t understand the pained state he was in. She searched his eyes for more than what he was telling.

“How did Georgie cut his hand? Why isn’t he talking? How did you get a bloody nose? Did you get in a fight? What happened yesterday?” All of these questions were good ones that needed answers but none of them were easy to tell.

Bill shrugged it off as he turned to leave. “S-Something that s-shouldn’t have happened,” He mumbled as he walked after his brother.

“That’s all you’re going to tell me?!” She called after him but decided to let him go when he didn’t respond.

 

 

Bill didn't feel like he had the energy to ride his bike to school today. He simply caught up to walk next to his brother. They walked a little way before Bill spoke. “D-Did you sleep okay?”

 

There wasn’t much of a reaction and the teen looked at him. “Y-You’re going to h-have to talk at s-school. T-They’ll send you the g-guidance c-counselor if they t-think something’s wrong. D-Don’t trust those counselors. T-They never help... You a-also need to eat.” He started to think about Georgie’s hand. “They’ll p-probably ask about your hand.” The teen waited for a response as he watched him. Georgie’s mind was running a mile a minute. Bill continued to walk with his brother as they passed the high school on the other side of the street. All the schools were conveniently located near each other since the town was so small. Bill didn’t feel confident in being separated from his brother during school. Georgie didn’t have a good feeling either. He heavily dreaded the day ahead of him. He just wanted to be alone in his room even though he didn’t feel safe anywhere. The teen had started talking again but the boy didn’t hear him.

 

“I-It’ll be okay. I p-promise.”

 

“No.”

 

Bill was taken aback by his brother’s sudden voice. He blinked.

 

“No more promises.”

 

“Georgie…” Bill was beyond crushed by all the events that took place. He was barely threaded together; he didn’t need his brother to rub it in. But could he blame him? He was incredibly conflicted. He was frustrated by Georgie’s lack of sympathy and forgiveness but he also scolded himself for thinking he should be over it so soon.

“How c-can I make it up to you? ...” He asked in a quiet voice that expressed his sorrow.

 

Georgie stopped when they reached the doors of his school. He looked up at his brother, staring blankly in his eyes for a moment.

“Keep your first promise before you start making new ones.”

 

Bill bit his lip then nodded before his brother turned to walk inside. The teen now had to walk back to the high school. He kind of wished he had his bike now. It would be a lot faster. The last thing Georgie had said to him was on the teen’s mind the whole walk back to high school. He did need to protect him, and he needed to prove he was capable of doing it.

 

During lunch that day, Bill waited till everyone was seated at his table before he started talking.

“Okay, g-guys. I have a b-big f-favor to ask.”

 

Eddie was still talking to Ritchie so Bill kicked the boy under the table to make him shut up and listen.

“OW?” He looked across the table at him.

 

“I-I was talking!”

 

“Uh!” His mouth dropped more dramatically than he needed to be.

 

Ritchie leaned over to him with his finger against his mouth. “Shhhh!”

Eddie copied him. “You SsssHhhhhH!”

 

“Guys!”

 

They finally settled down and allowed Bill to talk.

 

“What’s up?” Eddie asked.

 

“How’s Georgie doing?” Beverly asked him, looking like she was concerned about him.

 

“N-Not good…” Bill sighed. “H-He’s not talking much. Even t-to me…”

 

The Loser table was quiet for once as they glanced to each other then back to Bill. It was no secret that Bill and his brother were closer than anything. It was a strange feeling to imagine them not together.

 

“T-That’s why I n-need your help. I-I don’t know if B-Bowers has anything else planned b-but it’s n-not happening. I want you a-all to keep a l-look out. G-Georgie must b-be protected.” The teen glanced across the lunch room to eye the Bowers Gang’s table before he looked at his friends. “S-Shoot first; ask q-questions later.”

 

Bill’s last words really resonated with Mike.

 

The teen debated telling his friends about the clown that was also a threat to them. He wasn’t sure if they would believe him. For now, he decided to keep it to himself. “I’m n-not losing my brother… W-Who’s in?”

 

“I’m in,” Mike was the first to answer. Beverly was the next to agree and one by one the rest was in. Bill smiled at them.

“T-Thanks, guys.”

 

 

 

Georgie mindlessly dug his feet in the sand, swaying ever so slightly on the swing. The other kids in his class ran around and played but Georgie didn't feel like joining them. 

 

"Hello, Georgie."

 

The boy's heart skipped a beat as he looked behind him to find Pennywise towering over him. He let out a panicked squeak and moved to run but the clown's words froze him. 

 

"You don't want them to think you're crazy, do you?"

 

Georgie glanced around. Sure enough, no one acted like anything was wrong. It's like no one else saw him. No one seemed to pay Georgie any attention either; otherwise they'd see his panicked expression. The boy gasped and gripped the chains tighter when he felt a slight push. Pennywise started talking again as he pushed the boy on the swings. 

"After all, Bill is right, isn't he?"

 

Georgie was silent; his heartbeat pounding loud enough.

 

"You should trust him."

 

"...Why should I trust what you say?" He asked in a suspicious mumble. 

 

"You're right. You shouldn't trust me." The clown grinned. "So then don't trust Bill."

 

The boy was confused, trying to untwist his words while also keeping hold of his calm. He wasn't doing a good job. He was getting more frightened by the second. Would he technically be trusting Pennywise if he trusted Bill? 

 

"But you should do something for me."

 

The boy swallowed. "And why should I do that?"

 

"You owe me."

 

"No, I don't!"

 

"Oh, but you do. Because..." He temporarily stopped pushing the boy. "I'm the one that let you LIVE!" He shoved the boy off the swing set and he landed hard on the ground. Georgie clawed to his feet and ran, screaming. He didn't bother looking behind him. He could hear the terrifying, demonic growl on his heels. The other kids on the playground stopped as they watched Georgie. They couldn't see why he was freaking out. One of the teachers blocked the boy’s path.

“Hey! What’s going on here?”

 

Georgie looked behind him to show his attacker but there was no one there. Defeated, the boy said nothing.

 

 

 

At the end of the school day, Bill waited patiently on the side walk for his brother. Stanley stood with him for a bit to talk. He left shortly after Georgie made his way over to them, waving bye. Bill looked down at his brother and his smile was removed. Georgie seemed even more closed off now.

“Y-You okay?”

 

Nothing.

 

Georgie was quiet and emotionless as Bill started to walk him home. The teen felt more depression when his brother blocked him out. He wanted his little brother back to normal. As they were walking, something changed in the boy's eyes that caught Bill's attention. It was fear. That was the first emotion he had seen slip through his barrier so far. The teen quickly scanned the crowds of people from high school. They had to walk past it to get to home unless they crossed the road or went the long way around. It didn't take long for Bill to spot the source of his brother's anxiety. The teen kept a watchful eye on Henry Bowers, reaching to take Georgie's hand by instinct. 

"Ow!"

 

Bill jumped and quickly released his brother, looking down at him to realize he had grabbed his bandaged hand. The teen internally cringed at all his bad decisions he's been making lately. He couldn't seem to do anything right. 

"S-Sorry!"

 

Georgie's eyes were unforgiving; suspicious even. Bill was starting to get frustrated. He was trying his best and it still wasn't enough. 

"I s-said I'm s-sorry!"

 

The boy's eyes left him and he continued on his way. Bill was left behind to catch up. He was incredible discouraged and emotionally beat down, but he had to get his brother home safely. Georgie shifted his eyes over to Henry often, hoping he wouldn't see him. He was talking with Patrick, who was the first to spot him. Henry's gaze then followed to land on the boy. Georgie stopped in his tracks like a deer in headlights. The same figure from last night smirked back at him. Except now Georgie didn't have any blankets to hide under. He pushed himself to run.

 

"G-Georgie!" Bill looked over at Henry who was laughing. He sent him a glare before running after his brother. The boy kept running far beyond the school. Bill called out for him again when he dashed across the street. 

"G-Georgie! Wait!" Bill had to stop to wait for a truck to pass by before he could continue. He kept his eyes on his brother and continued to run when he was able. A figure holding a bunch of red balloons caught the teen’s attention. His eyes widened as he saw it was the clown. He called for his brother again, this time sounding more panicked. The change in tone is what made Georgie look back as he continued to run, stepping out into the road to cross another street. Tires on the road screeched to stop in time and a loud car horn sounded. Georgie stumbled backwards and fell down. He looked up at the car that almost hit him. The man in the car was fussing at him for running out in front of him. Bill quickly came to his brother and he easily lifted him off the ground.

“S-Sorry!” He told the man, lifting his hand apologetically. “We’re s-s-sorry…” Bill held on Georgie’s shoulders as they watched the car go by. The teen checked around for Pennywise. He didn’t see him but he could hear his laughter. He looked down at Georgie and asked if he was okay. A part of him wanted to scold him for stepping out in the road but he decided against it.

 

_“Nice brother you got there. If he hadn’t distracted you, you wouldn’t have almost been hit.”_ Georgie blinked as he heard another voice in his head. It was the clown’s. The boy made a noise as he squirmed from Bill’s grasp to continue running home.

 

“Georgie!” Bill sighed and started running after him again. _“Way to go, Bill. Get your brother killed again, why don’t you.”_

The teen recognized it was the clown’s voice but didn’t register the sound was only in his head. “S-Shut up!” He spun around, fully expecting to see the clown somewhere nearby. But he didn’t. He couldn’t stand there in thought all day, he had to catch up to Georgie.

 

The boy made it home first, going inside straight to his room. He shut his door and jumped on his bed, burying himself under the covers.

 

Bill made it home shortly after his brother. He didn’t have the emotional stamina to try to talk with Georgie again. He made his way to the bathroom to wash his face with cold water.

_“No wonder no one likes you. How hard is it to take care of your own brother?”_

Bill almost mistaken it for his own voice in his head. He hissed in the sink. “G-Go away!”

_“It’s not like it matters anyways. Georgie doesn’t trust you. You’ve given him no reason to. After all, this is your fault. Congratulations! How does it feel to lose your only friend?”_

Bill looked up in the mirror after rinsing his face. A grinning Pennywise was his reflection. “Get out of my head!” The teen slammed his fist into the mirror. It cracked and the reflection turned back into his. Bill huffed and stepped back as he looked at what he did. His dad was going to kill him for breaking the mirror. He sat down on the edge of the bathtub and held his head in his hands.

 

 

“Georgie~” Pennywise paced the boy’s room.

 

The boy shrunk lower in his bed. “Leave me alone…”

 

“It’s not your fault your brother wants to kill you…” The clown cooed as he walked to the window, looking out of it with his hands clasped behind his back.

 

“…” Georgie peeked out from his covers and stared at him. “No, he doesn’t!”

 

Pennywise turned to look at him. “Why else do you think only you and he can see me? He’s the one that wants you dead.” His smile became wider and full of teeth.

Georgie whined from fear and covered his head up again. “You’re a liar!”

 

The clown’s smile slowly faded. “You would have died by that car if I wasn’t there. You would have died in the woods underneath Patrick Hockstetter. You would have died in the sewer.” He started to smile again. “I’ve been helping you, Georgie. But I can’t keep doing it for free.”

 

The boy was silent, thinking everything out. Was it true?

 

“I can continue to protect you… That is, if you pay. Take some time to think about it…”

 

Georgie pulled off the covers again to find he was alone in his room. He groaned and laid his head on his pillow. His head hurt. He didn’t come down for dinner later that evening or eat the food that his mom placed on his nightstand. Bill gently knocked on the boy’s door. He waited to hear a cue to allow him entry. Silence. The teen turned so his back was to the door and he slid down it, sitting on the floor and leaning his head back.

“W-What am I s-supposed to do?” He asked no one in particular in a whisper, closing his eyes.

On the opposite side of the door, Georgie sat on the floor with his knees hugged to his chest. “Who am I supposed to trust?” He asked in a whimper.


	7. Reforget

 Bill woke up with a gasp. His dream fled along with his memories of it but he grasped onto anything he could. He remembered it was dark in his dream except there was that stupid red balloon. Bill groaned as he closed his eyes. He couldn’t remember any more details. He’s been having these horrible dreams more often ever since Georgie cut him off. It was starting to break him down in multiple ways. He cursed Pennywise under his breath before it hit him. He immediately got out of bed and went to his brother’s room. He couldn’t believe he didn’t make this connection sooner. That _clown_ was separating them so he could win.

“Georgie!” He didn’t even bother knocking before walking in.

 

The boy was sitting on his bed, getting his shoes on. He blinked at Bill who sat on his knees in front of him.

“I-It’s the clown’s fault!”

 

Georgie’s face was full of confusion as he looked at him. He didn’t want to speak to him. He didn’t trust him. He didn’t trust anyone.

 

“Don’t you see? H-He’s trying to p-pull us apart!”

Bill frowned when his brother seemed indifferent.

“B-But it’s okay! We can beat him! I w-won’t leave your s-side again, H-Henry d-didn’t hurt you-“

He was cut off by Georgie placing his bandaged hand in the teen’s face. Bill cringed at his bad choice of words. He gently caressed his hand. “T-That’s n-not what I meant. I m-meant…” He decided to not bring it up. “W-What I mean is, this d-doesn’t have to b-be the end for us. We can g-get over this. T-Then P-Pennywise won’t be able t-to get in o-our heads.”

 

The boy looked away when Bill tried meeting his eyes. Georgie was not only exhausted and hungry, but he was also internally torn. He didn’t know who he could trust. He _wanted_ to believe Bill but his fear convinced him otherwise. The teen noticed this change in his demeanor. It was at least a step up from completely no emotion.

“W-Why won’t you l-look at me? Talk to me…”

 

Georgie’s eyes shook as he looked away. Bill rested his chin on the boy’s knee. “I n-never meant for a-any of this t-to happen... Y-You do know t-that, r-right?”

 

The boy stayed quiet.

 

“I-I need you, Georgie…” Tears were starting to form in Bill’s eyes as he bit his lip. “Y-You’re everything to me… You’re m-my brother, my s-soulmate, m-my best friend.”

 

Georgie refused to look at him, fearing his barrier may break down. He didn’t want to start crying.

 

“I c-can’t do this w-without you… This is k-killing me.” Tears escaped as he laid his head down on Georgie’s knee. “I love you, I need you…”

 

It took everything Georgie had to keep his emotions bottled up. He shakily brought his fingers to Bill’s hair. The teen closed his eyes at his touch. After a moment, Georgie pushed him away. Bill sniffed and lifted his head. The boy wouldn’t meet his eyes so he slowly stood up and left to get ready for school.

 

School was painful for the both of them. The walk there was the worst. Every minute felt like an hour as the only thing on the teen’s mind was his brother. He was sluggish the entire day, not having the energy for anything.

 

 

When the school day ended, Stanley was about to head home when he noticed Georgie already walking passed the school. He looked around for Bill but he was still inside.

“Georgie!” He went over to stop him. “Bill’s not out yet but he’ll be here in a minute.”

 

The boy ignored him and continued on his way. He didn’t want to walk with Bill anyways. Pennywise fed his thoughts and reinforced his cold demeanor.

 

“Um, Georgie.” Stanley awkwardly followed him, not wanting to leave him alone incase Bowers showed up. “You can’t walk home alone. Just wait for Bill.”

 

He didn’t.

 

Stanley made an awkward noise as he looked back and forth from the kid and the school. Quickly, he decided he’d have to walk with him to ensure he stays safe. He glanced at him as they walked.

“So… How was school?”

 

Silence.

 

“Yeah, same here.”

 

 

 

Beverly met Bill outside the school. She saw him waiting on the sidewalk for his brother and decided to go up to him. He looked exhausted. The stress about his brother was really starting to get to him. Beverly was starting to get worried about him. "Is Georgie doing any better?" She asked softly as she stepped beside him.

Bill was almost startled. He had been so deep in his thoughts he was completely unaware of what was going on around him.

"H-He still won't t-talk to me..."

He sounded as depressed as he looked.

 

"Could I talk to him?"

 

Bill blinked and looked at her. He was surprised she wanted to be so involved.

"S-Sure." 

 

Beverly smiled and they waited together. Each moment that passed by fed Bill’s anxiety. “W-Where is he?” He mostly asked to himself, looking down the sidewalk. Beverly watched the panic start to grow in his eyes. It didn’t help his capability to stay reasonable since he was running on little to no sleep.

“It’s only been a couple minutes.”

 

“I-I have to find him.”

Bill didn’t hear her. He turned around and started searching for Henry. He didn’t see him either.

 

“It’s okay, Bill.” She kept her voice and demeanor calm, hoping to encourage Bill to calm down.

 

Her words fell on deaf ears as Bill frantically searched the crowds. A red balloon stuck out to him as he watched it turn to reveal a message.

‘You’re too late’

 

“NO!”

 

Beverly was startled by the boy’s shout.

“Bill?”

 

“I h-have to find him!” Bill was on his bike and already pedaling before he finished his sentence.

 

“Hold on, Bill!” Beverly got on her bike to follow him. The boy didn’t slow down to wait for her; he had to race against time.

As he sped down the road, tears broke through and blurred his vision. His nerves were completely shot, the thoughts of being too late overcrowding his mind. He didn’t even really know where he was going. Bill wiped his eyes to be able to see in front of him. His thoughts bounced back and forth from Georgie and himself. He was terrified by the thoughts of Georgie getting hurt or even killed and he not getting there in time. The rest of his thoughts amplified the pain and exhaustion he felt. He wasn’t able to take much more of this. He sooner wished death on himself than have to bare another day without his best friend. The teen subconsciously found himself home where he saw Stanley outside. Beverly pulled up right behind him. Stan was concerned to see tears still clinging to Bill’s cheeks. Before he could ask what was wrong, Bill stuttered out his question.

“H-Have you s-seen G-Georgie?”

 

“Yeah, he’s in his room.” He motioned to the house. “He tried walking home himself but I walked with him.”

 

“Oh, thank God.” Bill covered his face in relief and he wiped away the remaining tears. He felt a little embarrassed for crumbling in front of his friends.

 

Beverly touched his shoulder. “I’m going to in to talk to him.”

 

The teen simply gave a nod as a response as he ran a hand through his hair. Stanley frowned at him.

 

 

Beverly made her way to Georgie’s room and leaned against his doorway. "Can I come in?"

 

Georgie looked at her, not giving her a yes or no. Beverly decided to chance it as a yes. She sat on the bed beside him. At first, she didn't say anything; neither did he. The boy didn’t really want to talk to anyone but he didn’t oppose her presence as much as he did with others. He was watching tv, though the volume was down low. Once a few minutes had passed so he could get used to her being there, she looked over at him and spoke softly.

"It was scary, wasn't it?"

 

Georgie didn't respond but he was thinking about her question. It was scary... It was _very_ scary. She watched as his eyes changed from blank to thoughtful realization. Eventually the boy nodded slowly. Beverly continued, "You're hurt... angry... confused... and scared when it might happen again?" She was reflecting all his feelings back to him so he could better understand what he was feeling. What she was doing helped. Georgie wasn’t able to pinpoint the emotions that developed from what had happened. He hadn’t had enough experience with the emotional challenges he was prematurely faced. He bit his lip as he fought back the urge to cry. He didn’t want to in front of her. He didn’t like crying in front of anyone. Bill was the only one he felt comfortable enough to be that vulnerable in front of. And he didn’t even feel that comfort around him anymore.

Georgie blinked as a new realization popped in his head. How was she able to tell so easily? He looked up at her. "This has happened to you…?"

 

Beverly blinked, a little surprised he was able to pick up on that. She gave him a small smile for being right. 

"Sort of… But mine wasn't stopped."

 

They were silent for another minute before Beverly started again. She didn’t want to leave too much silence since she just got him to talk.

"That doesn't make our situations any different, though. Yours is probably worse because it didn't happen all the way so you don't have that... reality of it? …" She was starting to lose all confidence in comforting him. She wasn't sure what she was trying to say. This was probably making everything worse. "…But the emotional destruction is the same as if it did." 

 

Georgie didn't say anything as he stared at her. It didn't help that his face was expressionless while she talked. She should have stayed quiet. She helped and then she ruined it all by talking too much. Beverly was internally cringing and she looked away from him.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is... we're not that different. I don’t know exactly what you’re going through and I’m not going to sit here and pretend I do… but I can relate. I know that fear and that mistrust of everyone around you. It’s hard. But you can take as long as you need to be able to cope. There’s no rush.” She placed a hand on his shoulder. “And if it's any consolation, I don't think Henry will try that little stunt with you again. He'd be stupid to." Beverly didn’t actually know if he would but she did know that she and the others were watching out for him.

 

The boy seemed to lighten up slightly.

"Why do you say that?"

 

“I think Bill would go full attack mode before that happens.”

 

“Really?” He giggled softly and Beverly nodded.

 

“Believe me when I say he's all torn up over this. I've never seen him so distraught before... He would literally drop kick Henry and his goons if they got too close to you. _That’s_ how much he loves you and wants to protect you.”

 

The boy smiled, the reassurance about Bill caring about him from someone else really helping. He felt silly now to have doubted Bill but his suspicions felt so real at the time. Of course, he could trust Bill. Couldn’t he?

Beverly matched his smile and pulled him into a hug. “Come to me for anything, okay? I’m here for you. Maybe we can color together soon, it really helps.”

 

“Okay!”

 

“I’ll see you later, Georgie.”

She got up and smiled at him before leaving. Georgie began replaying what she told him, specifically about his brother.

 

 

 

 “Dude, you need to get some rest.”

 

“I’m f-fine.”

 

“No, you’re not… What’s going on with you?” Stanley wasn’t buying his friend’s lies. There was more bothering him than what he was letting on.

 

Bill sighed, avoiding eye contact the best he could. Finally, he decided to give in. “…T-There’s this clown…” The teen was very hesitant and cautious, examining Stan’s face for disbelief.

 

“A guy dressed as a clown?”

“T-That’s just it… I don’t think it’s _human_. It c-can’t be. He’s e-everywhere. Even in my head…” The slight look of confusion on Stan’s face made the teen defensive.

“I’m not making this up!”

 

“I didn’t say anything, Bill.”

 

“Y-you didn’t have to… I see it o-on your face.” Bill still felt he needed to justify himself. “G-Georgie sees him too so I know he’s real.”

 

“What does he do?” Stan couldn’t really believe him since he hadn’t ever seen the clown in question, but he did believe something had Bill paranoid.

 

“He’s toying with us. He’s t-trying to tear me and Georgie apart. I-I can’t lose him.”

 

 

Both boys looked over when Beverly came out of the house.

“W-Well?” He was eager for an update, praying it’d be a good one.

 

Beverly smirked and patted his shoulder as she walked by.

“Chill, Bill. Let him come to you when he’s ready.”

 

Bill was far from chill. Stan gave him a little smile before he also started to leave.

“Please get some rest… I’ll see you tomorrow,”

 

Later that evening, Georgie actually ate his dinner. He still didn’t talk but at least he ate. That was enough for his mom. Bill had temporarily given up on trying to get his brother to reconnect with him. He just felt so defeated. Maybe Beverly was right and all he needed to do was wait. Waiting was hard.

 

That night, Georgie went over the events in his head again but this time he had identified feelings from it. It didn’t feel good.

“Billy?” He called out in a soft voice. He didn’t think his brother had heard him and he didn’t expect him to.

There was no way the teen was going to sleep well. When he heard his brother faintly, Bill quickly stumbled across the hall and popped his head in his room.

 

“Y-Yeah? D-Did you call me?”

 

Georgie looked over at him and sat up. Bill opened his mouth to ask what was wrong but the look on his brother’s face made him immediately go to him. He was on his bed and embracing him just as his first tear ran down his cheek. Georgie squeezed his eyes shut as he clutched the back of his brother’s shirt. It was the first time he cried since the incident happened. He desperately needed to let out the emotions he’s harbored.

“You weren’t there for me…” His voice quivered and was muffled in Bill’s shoulder.

 Bill crumbled from his words and squeezed him even closer. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, tears rolling down his face.

 

“I was so scared… Why weren’t you there? I called for you…” Georgie gripped him tighter, letting his nailed dig in his back slightly.

 

Bill was unable to say anything. His soul and heart was dying in the worst possible way. All he could do was cry with him. The thoughts in Bill’s head were only confirming the loss of his brother and that destroyed him even further. After a while when they were unable to cry any longer, the boy spoke again.

“… But I forgive you…”

 

Bill wiped his eyes and hugged him more. He was almost in disbelief for what he heard. He was so thankful and relieved to finally know his brother forgives him.

“I-I’ll n-never let that h-happen to you again, I s-swear!”

 

Georgie was tired. They were both tired. The boy went to lay back down but the teen didn’t want to let go. Instead, he laid down with him.

“Don’t let go,” he mumbled.

 

“N-Never again.” Bill intertwined their fingers.

 

Georgie closed his eyes. “I trust you,” he whispered before allowing himself to drift off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really happy with this chapter. I don't feel like I really made it as real as I wanted. Especially with Beverly. She's difficult for me to portray but I hope y'all enjoyed it :3 I think the next chapter will be better.


	8. Unlucky Clover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have decided to EDIT and UPDATE this chapter. I like this chapter but there were a few things I could have done to make things better. As I was writing the next chapter I discovered how I could adjust this one to make it better. I wish I could have gotten this out to you in the first place, but I felt the need to keep my schedule of uploading on Fridays even though I should have waited until I felt completely comfortable with the chapter. If you have already read this chapter, please look over it again to see what you have missed. They're small but effective changes.
> 
> Those of you who don't want to re-read it all, the changes are located: 1. Georgie in the office and 2. the ending of the chapter
> 
> To prevent this from happening again, I've decided that I can't give you a definite date on when the next chapter will be uploaded. I'm usually pretty good at getting it done in a week and I will of course continue to make Fridays my goal for uploading but I don't want to promise anything and have the chapters suffer.   
> Let me know if you enjoyed the things I added to this chapter!

That morning, Sharon went to wake Georgie up for school. She was surprised to find both her sons in the same room. A small smile came to her face. She hated she had to disturb their sleep. They were both still tangled up together. Sharon said a silent thank you that her boys had finally made up. Seeing them be so distant with each other felt so odd. It was worrisome. She hoped they were getting better.

“Time to get up,” she cooed softly, turning on a bedside lamp. The light woke Georgie first; Bill groaning in protest to waking up. The youngest sibling’s movement forced the teen to release him and roll on his back. Their mother left the room shortly after making sure they wouldn’t just go back to sleep.

“Are you getting up?” The boy asked, looking at his brother.

 

“Yeah…” Bill still had his eyes closed. That night was one of the best Bill had. He didn’t recall having that creepy, reoccurring dream and he surprisingly felt rested. He didn’t want to get up. Everything would change and he’d have to risk having a rough day. He didn’t have a good feeling about today.

“L-Let’s just stay home…” he mumbled.

 

“But we have school.”

 

“Don’t r-remind me.”

 

Breakfast and the journey to school were much more pleasant than they had been that week. Things were finally starting to feel normal again; something they both needed desperately. For what felt like forever, both boys didn’t want to separate from each other while they went to different schools. They felt better together. Safer.

 

 

 

As the day slowly moved along, Georgie sat in a big patch of clovers on the far end of the playground. He was past the swing sets, near the chain-link fence that surrounded the grounds of the school’s playground. He sifted through the clovers carefully, wanting to find a four leafed one for Bill. The other kids played loudly behind him, the boy slowly drowning out sound during his concentration. A pair of legs stopping on the other side of the fence made the boy look up. He gasped at the sight of the clown and he quickly moved to run.

“No!”

The clovers grew and bound around the boy’s wrists and ankles, pulling him back to the ground and preventing him from leaving.

 

“Hiya, Georgie.”

The clown knelt down on the opposite side of the fence, the chain-links being the only thing separating them.

“I see you and Bill are buddies again. Or are you just humoring him?” He chuckled but the boy didn’t respond. He only stared at him.

 

“What do you want?”

 

“ _Payment!_ ”

 

Georgie jumped by the sudden raise in his voice and the slight lunge. Him falling for the little fake-out made the clown laugh even more.

 

“I made you flinch!” He laughed, pointing at him through the fence like he was a zoo animal.

 

The boy glanced away, completely unamused by Pennywise’s sense of humor. He tugged to get his wrists free but it only made the restraints tighter.

 

“Lighten up, kid. You’re going to die anyways.” He grinned with jagged teeth. “Unless… we make a deal.”

 

He didn’t say anything.

 

“You have a choice. Pay off your debt now, or pay later and perhaps work some of it off. Currently, your balance is your life. But if you’re good… _maybe_ I’ll just take an arm. I’ll even let you pick which one I take.” He chuckled in his teasing manner.

 

“…Is there a way I could not lose anything?”

 

“There is.”

 

Georgie was curious by the offer. He wanted a way to get Pennywise to leave him alone. “What do I have to do…?”

 

He showed his teeth in an excited grin. “You just keep doing what you’ve been doing, _bunny_.”

Georgie shuddered at the nickname, being reminded of Henry and his gang. He was scared to ever run into them again. The boy looked up at the clown as he continued to talk.

 

“You’re a perfect little distraction for this town. Thanks to you, there’s very few who’ve even noticed that three kids have gone missing so far. Your parents are busy trying to send you and your brother away, poor Bill is a mess because of you and he’s gotten his whole loser pack involved, and you’ve successfully attracted the attention of the gang that practically rules the town. You’ve been helping this entire time.”

Pennywise stood up, looking down at him. “You just need to keep it up. Keep being convenient so people of Derry will be caught up in the brothers who lost their minds instead of the mass killings around them. You keep doing what you’re doing, and I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. That’s it. It’s a very simple task, even _you_ can’t screw it up.”

 

Georgie bit his lip. He wished Bill was with him to let him know what to do.

“…You won’t kill me?”

 

He looked as if he was in thought. “Depends.”

 

“…On?”

 

“On if I become bored with keeping you alive or not. But I like you, kid. In that case, if I’ve had fun during this little game then you’ll only have a partial debt to pay. I’ll let you know when I start getting bored, how about that?” He asked with a wicked laugh. “That’ll give you one last chance to entertain me.”

 

The boy didn’t exactly like these terms. He wanted something more solid and reliable.

“You can’t hurt Bill either.” He finally said. He wanted to at least ensure his brother’s safety.

 

Pennywise chose his next words wisely. “I won’t do him any physical harm.”

 

“Okay…” Georgie continued to chew his bottom lip, thinking everything over. Others were going to die… “So… others have to die to pay off my debt?”

 

The clown simply grinned.

 

“How many have to die before it’s over…?”

 

“Till I’m full.” He slithered over the fence with ease, teeth growing. “What’ll it be? Do I kill you now? Or kill others in your place?” The clown leaned over him, waiting for a response.

 

The boy swallowed and he trembled back a bit.

“I don’t want to die,” he whimpered.

 

His grin was demonic as he extended a hand. “Do we have a deal?”

 

His wrist was released to be able to take the clown’s hand. Georgie shakily brought his hand up. He expected something bad to happen the moment it grabbed his hand. Pennywise found the kid’s hesitation very amusing. The bell ringing for the end of recess made the boy jump. The clown laughed and was gone as quick as he was there. Georgie looked down at the four-leaf clover now in his hand. He stared at it before clutching it in his fist. He felt like he made a big mistake. He didn’t have time to dwell on it for too long. He got up and ran to catch up with the other kids lining up to go back inside.

 

“Georgie,”

The boy was called over by his teacher once they were back in class.

“The school’s counselor would like to meet with you.”

 

Georgie was silent, taking the hall pass the teacher handed him. He tried to keep himself calm so he wouldn’t start panicking. Maybe it wasn’t going to be anything serious. He hasn’t done anything wrong, after all. The boy shyly knocked on the door when he reached the guidance office, hoping that perhaps no one would be in there. To his dismay, the door opened.

 

The man that answered looked down then smiled at him “You must be Georgie! Please, come in and take a seat.”

 

The boy was highly cautious and a little confused. He walked in the room. “I thought Mrs. Foster was the counselor…?”

 

“She’s on her lunch break right now.”

 

“I can come back later…”

 

“Oh, there’s no need for that.” He motioned towards one of the chairs in front of the desk as he shut the door. “Go on, sit down.”

 

Georgie felt like wanting to panic. He didn’t feel comfortable. He didn’t recognize this man. The boy unwillingly sat down on the edge of the chair, looking back just as the door was being shut. He caught the glimpse of a red balloon just outside of the door.  

 

“One of your teachers has brought it to our attention that you’ve been an unusually quiet, little thing. You’ve been off to yourself instead of with friends, not eating much, and have been talking to yourself. What’s going on?”

 

He didn’t speak; being on edge even more now that he saw that balloon. He was scared.

 

“Everything okay at home?”

 

Georgie watched his slow pacing. He wasn’t going to his desk to sit down. Why wasn’t he sitting down? Pennywise’s voice rudely crowded his thoughts.

 

_“Remember what Bill said, Georgie, you can’t trust counselors. What are you going to do now?”_

“Shut up!”

 

“Excuse me?” The man raised an eyebrow.

 

“Not you-“ The boy cringed, immediately regretting his words by how crazy he sounded.

 

_“You know… I can still protect you. But that’ll cost you extra.”_

 

Georgie ignored the voice in his head as he watched the counselor circle him.

“Who were you talking to?”

 

“No one.” He was short with him.

 

“Then you must have been talking to me if you weren’t talking to anyone else.” He sat on the edge of his desk in front of the boy. There wasn’t a lot of room between the desk and the big chairs that sat in front of it. Georgie pushed back in his chair. He didn’t like how close he was. “That’s not very nice to tell me to shut up. What’s making a sweet boy like you so rebellious?”

 

_“You’re scared, Georgie. I can make all this go away for you. …For a tiny price.”_

 

“What is it?” He asked in a mumble.

 

_“Bill. That’s not too much to ask. It’s not like you actually care for him. He’s the one that wants me to kill you, remember? If you have me kill him first then you won’t have anything to worry about!”_

 

“No…”

 

_“It’s only going to get worse without my help. You already owe me your life. Innocent people are dying because of you. What’s a little more?”_

 

“Hm?” The counselor tilted his head. “You can tell me.”

 

Georgie looked up at him as he reached a hand over.

“Don’t touch me!” The boy stood up and quickly slid out of the awkward space between them. “I want Mrs. Foster.”

 

“I told you she’s on her lunch break.”

 

“Then I’ll go to the principal.” He went to the door but the handle didn’t move when he pressed on it.

 

“You can’t just go bothering the principal.” The man chuckled at him.

 

“Why’s the door locked?”

 

“These meetings are meant to stay confidential. It’s to ensure privacy-“

 

“I want to leave now.”

 

He slid off the desk to walk over to him, getting out his keys. “You know, they make medicine for what you have. It’s called Ritalin. I can bring you some. It’ll help your ADHD.”

 

“I don’t have that.” He didn’t even know what it was. Georgie was pressed against the door to keep as much distance between him and the man. He still tried the door handle but it wouldn’t budge without the use of a key.

 

“You definitely have something. Poor thing… You don’t even know you have it,” He was condescending. The boy moved away from him when he got closer.

 

“Don’t touch me!” He shouted again from panic and fear.

 

The man smirked at him. He hadn’t even tried to touch him that time. He was simply going to unlock the door. He paused and turned to him. “Are you doing this for attention? Is that what all this rebellion is about? Are you not getting enough attention at home?”

 

_“I’m not going to save you again for free. No one’s going to save you.”_

Georgie was silent. He blocked out the clown’s jabbering; he was too focused on the person in front of him.

 

“What a shame, too… So young to be an attention whore.”

 

“Just open the door!”

 

The man laughed as he unlocked the door and held it open for him. The boy was hesitant to move any closer.

 

“I thought you wanted to leave?” He cooed, threatening to close the door again.

 

“I do!”

 

“Well then?” He grinned as he watched him cautiously come to the door. “Run,” He leaned down to whisper into his ear. He laughed at the whimper that escaped the boy before he took off running.

 

 

 

At the high school, Bill was called to report to the office over the intercom. He put away his textbook as he got up. Classmates idiotically chanted he was in trouble simply because his name was called. The teen rolled his eyes. He never heard his name called so he was curious what they wanted. When he walked in the main office there were some students in there for various reasons. Some were arriving late. Some were waiting. Bill went up the desk and the lady hung up the phone.

“Hi, Bill. You’re going to have to go pick up your brother. We’ve tried getting ahold of your parents but neither of them are picking up.”

 

“T-They’re at w-work. What’s wrong with Georgie?”

 

The lady shrugged. “They didn’t say. They just said he needs to be picked up. You can just bring him back here and when we get in touch with either of your parents we’ll tell them to pick him up here.”

 

Bill nodded and quickly headed over there. Worry developed just as fast as he ran to the other school building. He walked into the office to find a lot more people than he was expecting. Georgie broke through the crowd and clung to his brother’s waist. “Billy!”

 

Bill held him and looked between the people there. Mrs. Foster, one of Georgie’s teachers, the sheriff, who was Henry’s father, and the principal were all present.

“W-What’s going on?”

 

The principal sighed. “We’re trying to figure that out. He started freaking out over someone he says was with him in the guidance room but our only counselor is Mrs. Foster and she wasn’t there. He must have imagined it.”

 

“No, I didn’t!”

 

“Did he tell you his name?” The sheriff asked.

 

“… No…”

 

“Then how are we supposed to know you’re not just making it up?” asked the principal.

 

Bill was appalled.

“T-That’s it? You’re n-not going to o-own up to maybe you let s-someone slip in t-the school t-that shouldn’t be here?”

 

“Well, he doesn’t have a name. His description doesn’t match any male faculty member we have… He’s been acting strange lately anyways so I think it’s perfectly possible he’s just making it up.”

 

The teen looked over at the sheriff who was quiet. He seemed to stand neutral as he analyzed what was being said.

“You guys suck…” Bill mumbled as he walked his brother out.

 

He held his hand and when they stepped outside Georgie looked up at him. “He was real.”

 

“I believe you.”

 

The boy squeezed his hand tighter. He wanted to tell Bill about the deal he made with Pennywise but he was scared to. He just wanted to go home. When they reached the high school, Bill kept their hands locked. Georgie wanted to stay with Bill instead of staying in the office so they allowed him. The boy stayed close as he looked around. Everything was bigger at the high school; especially the students. It was currently lunch time so students were scattered everywhere as they left their classes. Bill made sure to keep close enough to him so he wouldn’t be trampled by everyone.

 

Henry was leaving his locker when he saw Bill and Georgie. There were too many people between them so instead he called out to them.

“PDA!”

 

Bill rolled his eyes as others started to find their focus on Bill holding hands with Georgie. Students giggled and repeated the acronym.

The younger sibling looked up at Bill. “What’s PDA?”

 

“S-Something couples do.” The teen kept his attention on going to his locker to put his bookbag up before heading to the lunch room. He didn’t meet his brother’s questioning gaze. “W-We’re not a c-couple,” he finally muttered, now leading him to the lunch room. Georgie didn’t really understand but decided to not say anything.

 

When they got in the lunch room, Bill released his hand. He didn’t want others to bother them about it anymore. Georgie was pressed into Bill's side during the lunch line. They inched along when more people joined. The boy looked up at the teen who stepped in line beside him. It was Victor. He quickly checked to see if the other gang members were with him but thankfully they weren't. Georgie took no chances and kept as much distance between them as he possibly could without becoming one with Bill. Victor avoided looking at the boy. He could see he was nervous and scared of him from his peripheral vision. He didn't want to make anything worse. When the line slowly moved forward, Vick kept back some to give Georgie the distance he wanted. The line felt like it lasted forever until it was finally Bill's turn to pay for his food. Georgie's eyes lit up at the sight of the giant cookies for sale near the end of the line. He wanted one but Bill had already paid and he knew he wouldn't have enough. Their parents only gave them enough money for the base-line lunch; not for any of the extra stuff like chips and soda. Victor took note of the boy's gaze. 

 

"Hey," 

 

Bill and Georgie had just started to walk off when Victor called for them. He handed Georgie the cookie he was eyeing. The boy cautiously took the offering and looked up at him. 

"Thank you," he said softly, curious on why he bought it for him. 

Bill was also confused as he kept a close watch. 

 

"Don't mention it." Victor mumbled and slipped passed them after he paid for his food. He didn't want to be seen hanging around them too long in fear that Patrick or Henry would question him. 

 

“C-Come on,” Bill said, wanting Georgie to follow him.

“I want to sit next to Beverly.”

The teen took note of this as he brought him to his table. Bill set his tray in the vacant spot between Stan and Richie. He turned to Richie, who was beside Beverly. “Move.”

 

“I just sat down!”

 

“G-Georgie’s sitting there.”

Richie reluctantly moved to the other side of the table. Beverly smiled at the boy. “Hey, Georgie.”

 

“Why’s he here?” Eddie asked. “He’s not sick, is he??”

 

“N-No. He’s with me t-till mom picks us up.”

 

Beverly opened the carton of milk she had and gave it to Georgie for his cookie. Bill watched until Stan got his attention.

“Everything okay?” He asked.

 

“Y-Yeah.” He wasn’t able to even convince himself.

 

 

When Victor sat down at his table, Henry stared him down. He sat next to Patrick and across from Belch who was next to Henry. He avoided eye contact for the longest time until he called his name.

“What’d you give him?” He asked, referring to the cookie.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“You lying sack of shit. I sat here and watched you.” Henry smirked, looking over at the table where Georgie was. “Did you do anything to it?”

 

“No.”

 

“That was a missed opportunity,” Patrick mumbled. “You could have poisoned him and we would have had a show.” He laughed.

Henry had a small smile as he hummed. “I don’t want him dead yet…” He turned his head back to Victor. “It’s interesting he took it from you.”

 

“I guess?”

 

“Why is he even here?” Belch chimed in.

 

Henry ignored his question. He kept his eyes on Victor. “I guess he must like you.”

 

He didn’t say anything. Victor looked away from his eyes and glanced at Belch. He didn’t like the look that Henry gave him. There was a hint of anger behind his gaze. Victor hated feeling Henry’s piercing stare on him. He met his eyes for only a moment before he had to look away. He was definitely pissed but Victor didn’t understand why.

 

“Do you like him?” The leader asked.

 

Victor looked up from his tray. “What do you mean?”

 

“Why else would you give him that cookie if you didn’t like him. So, do you like him?”

 

Patrick was also now staring at Victor. Belch avoided conflict by eating. Vic took a silent breath as he looked at them. He didn’t like how aggressive Henry was looking.

“I don’t-“

 

“Why did you give it to him then?” He cut him off, getting impatient quickly.

 

“Yeah, especially since you didn’t poison it or anything.” Patrick was now joining in to back their gang member in a corner.

 

“Excuse me for not carrying rat poison with me to school and giving it to a child,” he retorted. He was getting sick of all this. What was Henry’s problem?

 

Henry raised an eyebrow at his new-found attitude. Instead of chewing him out for it, he focused on what he just said. “You have some poison at home?”

 

Victor shrugged, not seeing where this was going. “Yeah… my dad uses it to get rid of mice and stuff…”

 

Belch cleared his throat loudly to try to shut up his friend but he then began coughing on his food. Henry opened his mouth to say something else but Belch’s choking was distracting him.

“God, could you choke any louder? I’m trying to talk!”

 

Belch finally got his throat cleared and he mumbled an apology. Henry huffed, turning his attention back on Vic.

“What else does your dad have?”

 

Victor didn’t respond after getting nudged under the table by his friend.

 

“Are we going to poison him?” Patrick asked with a sparkle in his eyes.

 

“I haven’t decided…”

 

“If you kill him then you can’t use him anymore,” Belch added, trying his best to help. He didn’t want to be responsible for killing a kid. There were worse ways than poison to do it.

 

“Yeah, we can.” Patrick responded.

 

Henry made a face as he thought about it. “I do like some kind of reaction though…” He looked over at the Losers’ table as Bill and Georgie began to leave. “I want him alive.”

 

“What if he squeals?” Asked Patrick after he followed his gaze.

 

“I don’t think he will. We’ll kill him before that happens. Same goes for the rest of those losers.”


	9. Boy Who Cried Wolf

Bill and Georgie walked hand-in-hand as they made their way back to the office where they met their mom.

“Are you boys okay?” She asked, on the verge of being frantic. Bill nodded then looked down at his brother.

 

“Yeah,” The boy mumbled.

 

She hugged them both.

“Well… Come on. We need to talk about what happened on the way home.”

 

“C-Can I come home, t-too?”

 

Sharon sighed. “Alright. I’ll sign you out.”

While she did that, Bill rubbed his thumb along Georgie’s hand. He could tell he was nervous. Soon they walked outside and were on their way home.

“What happened?” Sharon asked, glancing at them with the rearview mirror. “I got so many missed calls from the school to come get you. They didn’t really tell me why. All they said was you were freaking out.”

 

Georgie was silent as he played with Bill’s hand.

 

“Georgie, sweetie, you have to let me know what happened. The school didn’t tell me much.” She sighed when it became clear he wasn’t going to say anything. Bill also didn’t have many details but he figured it would be best for Georgie to describe what happened since he was there. The rest of the car ride was silent. When they got home, Bill nudged him as they walked inside.

 

“I-It’s okay to t-tell her,” He said in a whisper.

The younger brother shook his head. “What if she doesn’t believe me…”

 

Bill didn’t have an answer that could be reassuring. He didn’t know if their mom would believe him. He wanted to think that she would but if their dad got involved then that would change everything. The teen was just thankful it was their mom who picked them up and not their dad. Both boys dreaded when their father came home.

 

Since they were home so early, Georgie decided to venture outside to play on the sidewalk. Bill soon made his way outside with his brother. He didn’t want to leave him alone in case something happens to him. The boy was drawing on the side walk with some chalk as the teen walked up.

“W-What are you d-doing?”

 

“Want to play hopscotch?” He asked, finishing the last square.

 

“N-Not really.”

 

“Scared I’m gonna beat you?” He was blunt as he looked up at him.

 

The older brother smirked. “No.”

 

“Then prove it!” Georgie tossed him a rock. “You go first.”

 

“I d-don’t even know if I r-remember how to play,” he stalled, awkwardly plopping the rock down in one of the squares.

 

“You hop! Go get the rock and come back.”

The teen hesitated, questioning himself if he was _really_ about to do this. As he made the first jump on one leg, Georgie threw his rock further and also started after it.

 

“H-Hey, I thought you h-had to wait for me to c-come back?”

 

“You take too long!” The boy moved around him and Bill reached to hold on to his shoulder for balance. “Hey! Don’t use me for support! That’s cheating!” He swatted his brother’s hand away which made him lose balance. The teen grabbed his shirt as he fell, bringing the boy down with him.

“Ow.”

 

“Nice one, grace,” he teased. The boy got himself up and looked at his brother. “That didn’t even hurt.”

 

“S-Shut up!” He chuckled. “And y-you’re naturally closer to the g-ground than me. You don’t h-have as far to fall. P-Plus, you l-landed on _me_.”

 

“Let’s go again!”

 

“F-Falling?”

 

“No, hopscotch!”

 

“Oh. S-So, more falling.” The teen stood up and retrieved his rock before going back to the start.

 

“Speed run!”

 

“W-What?”

 

“Speed hopscotch! Go now! Hurry!” Georgie went first since his brother was taking too long.

 

“T-This is t-too advanced.” He tried to catch up with his brother without getting knocked over again. After a while of playing, they got into one of those spells where they couldn’t help but to laugh. It was like a domino effect.

That’s what he loved about Georgie. That’s what he loved about being around him. Things were… better when he was with him. Things were easier. Georgie being so young really brought out Bill’s inner child. There were many times he would get caught up in his life and feel so weighed down by it all. Just starting high school was terrible and awkward. Being a young teen was terrible and awkward. In ways, he wished his brother was closer to his age. That way when Bill would go through phases where he just wanted to be to himself and wallow in self-pity about everything, it would be easier for Georgie to understand because he would also be experiencing it. It was difficult for Georgie to comprehend the age gap between them and to know that Bill needed space sometimes. It was good that he and his brother have great chemistry together; otherwise they’d be fighting constantly like most siblings. The teen was grateful for that. He didn’t fully understand why they were so compatible but he was glad for it. It made life just a little bit easier. He loved that it didn’t matter how bad the world was crumbling around them, as long as he was with Georgie he could find a way to smile. That’s one reason why Bill did appreciate their age difference. His brother forced him to pull out of his black, white, and gray reality to see the simple, fun, colorful innocence of life. Not only that, but Bill enjoyed watching him grow. He was amazed to find a different perspective through Georgie’s eyes on things. They amazed each other and could learn from each other. Bill also liked seeing subtle habits and subconscious mimicking that they both did. Most go unnoticed but sometimes Bill would catch an endearing mimic or a repeat of a favorite phrase pass between them. It was fascinating. It was as if they were in sync. He just hoped that these things they’ve been forced to go through lately wouldn’t change him. He didn’t want Georgie to be forced to grow up too fast. He shouldn’t be experiencing _any_ of these things. He was too young. Even Bill was too young. However, it was easier for Bill to emotionally sprout in order to process everything. It was easier for him to adapt and to desensitize himself to the feeling of not being able to go to his parents for any support in his life, being haunted by some creature that was threatening his sanity, and having the constant fear and worry something unbelievably terrible could happen to his brother. Georgie didn’t have this advantage. He was still at the age where he wanted his parents to be in his life. There was no way for him to fully understand the threats he was being faced with by Henry and now some intruder impersonating a counselor. He hasn’t been exposed to any of it; not even stories of these things happening. He’s been told to stay away from strangers but not the reasons why. He shouldn’t have to know now. It killed Bill that this was happening and he didn’t know how to stop it. He didn’t know how to protect him. The teen didn’t feel too worried about Henry but how could he protect him when they were separated during school? How could he protect him from a clown that was everywhere and nowhere at the same time? The easiest way for Georgie’s mind to handle this stress was to shut down but Bill was worried. He was worried that if he was unable to emotionally develop quick enough then his mind would result to blocking out the events entirely. Bill didn’t know how much worse things could get but he knew they both needed their minds to stay strong to keep Pennywise back. He was thankful that Georgie was talking to him again but the teen knew there was more that wasn’t being said. At least they found a way to be able to play together. It was good for both of them to have a moment in their own little world away from the dangers of reality. It was good they found time to laugh. If they didn’t laugh they’d cry.

 

At the end of their hopscotch marathon, Bill plopped down on the grass.

 

“I win!!” The boy exclaimed. “That means you’re mine!”

 

The teen chuckled. “H-How do you win? H-How do you even t-take score in h-hopscotch?”

 

“I win by default!” He pounced onto Bill who fell back onto the grass so he could be laying down

“Oh, I t-think my back just p-popped.”

 

Georgie couldn’t help but to laugh. He laid on his chest. “You’re so old.”

 

“I k-know,” the teen groaned. He made an even more dramatic groan to emphasize.

 

“When I get old, what will that make you?” He asked between giggles.

 

“Dead.” He deadpanned.

 

The boy laughed again and stuck his tongue out at him. The teen mirrored him, getting another giggle out of him. Georgie rolled off of his brother to lay beside him. “I don’t think you’ll die first.”

 

“Why? Y-You trying to beat me at t-that too?” He turned on his side to face him.

 

The boy smiled. “You have something on your hand.”

 

Bill brought his hand up to look at it, and Georgie quickly pushed it in his face. The teen started laughing and reached over to grab the boy. “I t-taught you that!”

 

The youngest laughed and tried to get away but Bill got him. The teen started to tickle his brother as punishment. The tickling only made Georgie squirm more and get louder. “Stop!” He laughed. “I don’t want to play anymore I’m tired!”

The teen chuckled and pulled off him. “I-It’s about time y-you got tired. I g-got tired just w-walking out here.”

 

Georgie laughed and laid on his back in the grass. His eyes were heavy from exhaustion. Bill sat up next to him and looked over. "Y-You look like I-I need a nap."

 

A smile came to the boy's face as he shut his eyes and lifted his arms. "Nap with me!"

 

Bill flopped over on him and Georgie laughed, pushing him by his head. "Not _on_ me! You're heavy!" He said between laughter.

 

"No, I'm not," he pouted playfully, laying even more on his brother. "Are y-you trying to c-call me fat?" He asked, turning over to face him as he laid on him. The boy simply laughed and playfully shoved him by his face. Bill smirked and plopped his head on Georgie's stomach.

 

"Move, fat boy!" He giggled, tangling his fingers in his hair.

 

"Too tired," Bill mumbled, not budging. 

 

Georgie grinned and played with his hair. He was tired enough to go to sleep there but he knew that wasn't a good idea. 

"Billy… We need to go inside to sleep."

 

Bill grunted and Georgie mimicked a groan which made the teen laugh. 

 

They napped in Bill’s bed until their mom woke them so they could get ready for dinner before their father got home. It wasn’t long until he did come home, though. Bill and Georgie were already sitting next to each other at the table. Georgie reached for his brother’s fingers beneath the table. Bill squeezed his hand to comfort him. Zach wasn’t in the door more than five minutes before he started fussing.

 

“I would like to know why the hell I was getting calls at work. You all know not to bother me while I’m busy working.”

 

“It was the school. They needed someone to pick up Georgie.” Sharon was putting dinner on everyone’s plates.

 

“Why?” He asked as he went over to sit down at the table. “Did you get sick?”

 

Georgie didn’t answer so Zach looked to his wife. “I thought I made it clear I wanted this mute thing to stop.”

 

“Just leave him alone, Zach…” She passed everyone a plate of food before sitting down with her own.

 

“So, what did the school want if he wasn’t sick? Did he get in a fight?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“How the hell can you not know?” He turned to Georgie and snapped his fingers. “Speak up! What happened?”

 

Bill looked at his brother when he felt the grip on his hand get tighter. The teen decided he couldn’t just avoid conflict anymore by not getting involved. Their dad wasn’t going to let off him if he didn’t step in.

“T-There was an in-intruder at the s-school.”

 

“Oh my god!” Sharon was shocked while Zach simply furrowed his brow.

“Intruder? Did they catch him?”

 

“They c-couldn’t f-find him.”

 

Sharon was still highly concerned but Zach was beginning to look a little annoyed.

“What do you mean they couldn’t find him? How hard is it to spot a guy that isn’t supposed to be there?”

 

Bill shrugged.

 

“What is the school going to do about this? Are the police involved? Why didn’t the school tell me about this?” Sharon had so many questions she needed to have answered.

 

“They d-didn’t see him. I d-don’t know w-what they’ll do.”

 

“Did anyone see him?” Zach asked, he was finding a lot of this suspicious.

 

“Geor-Georgie did.”

 

Their parents looked at Georgie who didn’t meet any of their gazes. Zach sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. “So, you mean to tell me that the only one to see this intruder in an entire building full of people is Georgie?” He stared his youngest son down. “You’re making this up, aren’t you?”

 

“Zach…”

 

“Then why hasn’t any one else seen this guy?!”

 

“H-He’s not making i-it up.”

 

“Did _you_ see him?”

 

“N-No.”

 

“Then how the hell do you know if he’s telling the truth?”

 

“B-Because I a-actually care about him s-s-so I’m going to b-believe him!”

 

Zach narrowed his eyes at Bill. “Are you implying that I don’t care? Because I _do_.” He was starting to get pissed and Sharon didn’t have any way to buffer that. Zach was always more irritable after getting home from work.

 

“Why don’t we all just enjoy dinner and we can talk about this later when everyone isn’t so tired?” She tried her best to shift the subject on something else.

 

“Y-You sure don’t a-act like you do.” Bill was feeling bolder than usual. He needed to stick up for Georgie. He needed to stick up for all of them.

 

“He’s lying!” Zach motioned over to the youngest boy.

 

“No, I’m not! He really was there!”

 

“This is _just_ like that imaginary clown.”

 

“He’s real too!”

 

“Shut up!”

 

“Zach!” She reached a hand over to her husband but he shrugged her away.

 

“I don’t want to hear it! You’re just like the boy who cried wolf!” He pointed at Georgie

 

“No, I’m not!”

 

“You’re a bold face liar.”

 

“Y-you do know t-that the boy wh-who cried w-wolf dies a-at the end because n-no one believed him.”

 

Zach looked back at Bill. “He dies because he’s a liar! I’m getting pretty fed up with you!” He looked to his wife. “I want you to make a doctor’s appointment for these two to figure out what the hell is wrong with them.”

 

“I don’t want to go to the doctor!”

 

‘T-There’s nothing wrong w-with us.”

 

Zach ignored them and watched Sharon who looked at the boys. “I don’t think they really need a doctor…”

 

“If you don’t do it then I’ll have them both placed in a mental institute.”

 

“Y-You can’t s-send us away.”

 

“Yes, I can. Neither of you are eighteen so you’re still under my care.”

 

“Wh-what care?”

 

Zach glared at him. “You’re damn lucky I haven’t disowned you, boy!” He waved his hand. “Go to your room! I’m sick of looking at you.”

 

“I-I’m not leaving you with G-Georgie.”

 

“Then both of you get out of here!”

 

Bill got up and kept his hand in Georgie’s as he walked with him up the stairs.

 

Zach muttered curses under his breathe. “Queers…”

“Zach…”

 

 

While upstairs, Georgie wandered into the bathroom where he unwrapped his bandaged hand.

_“I told you your parents were going to send you away.”_

The boy ignored the clown’s laughter. He smiled softly at the wound on his hand being healed. There was a tiny scar left but it wasn’t too noticeable.

_“Oh, and just as a friendly reminder of our deal…”_

Georgie glanced up to find Pennywise in the reflection next to him. The clown reached a hand out of the mirror to grab Georgie’s. The boy yelped and yanked for his hand back.

“Let go!”

 

Pennywise simply laughed at him as he took a claw and carved a number in his palm. The boy screamed and continued to yank back. When the clown finished, he waited for the boy to pull again before releasing him. Georgie fell down hard and he brought up his hand to look at it. The pain was beyond anything he felt from the switchblade. In his hand was carved a 5 for the number of people slaughtered for him. The boy cried and tried closing his hand but it hurt too much.

“You said you wouldn’t hurt me!”

 

“I said I wouldn’t kill you.” He climbed all the way out of the mirror as Georgie scooted back until he was pressed against the wall. “There’s a DIFFERENCE.”

Georgie shielded himself by his arms as Pennywise back-slashed him with claws. He cried out in pain while Pennywise continued to laugh. The boy didn’t notice the clown leave. He was curled up in himself crying. The slash marks, as well as the 5 on his hand, slowly started to fade away until they weren’t there at all. But Georgie could still feel them there.

After he calmed down, he went to Bill’s room for comfort where he found the teen sitting on the edge of the bed. He was hunched over with his face in his hands.

 

“Billy?”

 

The teen lifted his head as Georgie climbed on the bed next to him. They both had been crying. Bill pulled his brother closer and hugged him.

 

 

 

A knock came on the front door and Zach answered.

 

Officer Bowers was standing there. “Evening, Mr. Denbrough.”

 

“Evening… What can I help you with?” Zach was fairly cautious, wondering why a cop showed up at his door.

 

“I’m here to speak with your son. Do you mind if I talk with him for a minute?”

 

Zach let out an obviously annoyed sigh as he looked back in the house. “Bill, what did you do?! Get down here!”

 

The officer blinked. “Actually, -“

 

The teen called down, cutting the man off. “W-What?! I d-didn’t d-do anything…” He reluctantly made his way to the door, wiping his eyes one more time. He was quiet when he saw Officer Bowers. He wondered what he wanted. He also wondered if he was going to side with the school on what happened earlier.

 

“Actually, Mr. Denbrough,” He started again. “I’m here to talk to your other son. Georgie.”

 

Zach muttered something under his breath but the officer didn’t quite catch it. “Go get him!” He waved his other son off.

 

“Long day?”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“You seem agitated.”

 

Zach rolled his eyes. “You just saw one of the reasons. I swear these boys are going to be the death of me…”

 

“How so? They don’t seem like a couple of troublemakers to me. And I have one.”

 

“Please… I get more headaches from that one by just listening to him try to spit out a sentence.” He looked over as Georgie cautiously walked up. “And there’s the other one. What did he break and how much is it?”

 

Bowers blinked. “No, this is about what happened today at the school.”

 

“Oh, that nonsense… I rather pay for a broken window.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache come on. “I swear… if this is about that stupid clown... I’m gonna-”

 

“Clown?” He interrupted.

 

“Ugh… don’t get him started on it. That is, if you can get this one to talk.” He said, looking down at him. “When he does talk he lies.”

Georgie stayed silent.

 

The officer looked at the boy. He knew he could talk so it was a red flag that he wasn’t speaking now. He was also curious as to why his father was so upset. “Mind if I try to talk with him out here in private?”

 

Zach shrugged. “Knock yourself out.” He said, letting Georgie step outside before closing the door behind him.

 

“Hi, Georgie. I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced. I’m Officer Oscar Bowers.”

 

“Hi.”

 

He motioned towards the door with a nod. “He’s kind of rough on you boys, huh?”

 

Georgie shrugged. “That’s normal.”

 

Oscar frowned. “Your brother… I suppose you’re too young to know if he’s always had that stutter his entire life.”

 

The boy shook his head. “No. He didn’t always have it.”

 

“He didn’t?” The officer seemed surprised. “Do you know how long he’s had it?”

 

He shook his head again. “I don’t remember exactly when… It was before I was born. But I do remember when it got worse.”

 

“Worse?”

 

He nodded. “It used to be only certain words he’d get stuck on sometimes. Like S’s. But now it’s almost all the time.”

 

The officer nodded slightly as he listened. “What happened to change that?”

 

Georgie suddenly became quiet, realizing that he was probably saying too much on the subject.

 

“Do you remember what happened?”

 

He nodded.

 

“What was it?”

 

The boy bit his lip and held his fingers nervously. “I’m not supposed to talk about it.”

 

The officer knelt down to become more eyelevel with Georgie. “Has your dad ever hit you? Or your brother?”

 

Georgie couldn’t look at him in the eyes. He shifted on his feet uncomfortably.

 

“Did his stuttering get worse after getting beat?”

 

He bit his lip again and tears threatened his eyes. “I’m not supposed to talk about it…” He said in a whisper.

 

“Okay,” He could see the boy was getting upset and he didn’t want that. “We’re done talking about that. Now, about what happened at school today… Do you want to tell me your side of the story? I need as many details as you can remember.”

 

He was quiet at first. “After recess my teacher told me to go to the guidance office so I did. But Mrs. Foster wasn’t there. That guy I haven’t seen before was.”

 

“And he didn’t tell you his name?”

 

He shook his head.

 

“What did he say to you?”

 

 “To sit down. Then he shut the door and locked it.” The boy didn’t look at him as he talked. He played with his fingers.

 

“What else did he say?”

 

“I don’t remember…” He didn’t like being asked so many questions. He wanted to go back inside with Bill.

 

“Any of it?”

 

“…He wanted to know why I been quiet and played by myself at recess…”

 

The officer listened carefully.

 

“He talked weird…”

 

Oscar raised an eyebrow. “Weird, how?”

 

“I don’t know… He made me feel weird.” He wasn’t sure what it would be called.

 

The officer could tell that Georgie was uncomfortable by just talking about it. “Did he make you feel uncomfortable?”

 

“Yeah.” He nodded, now having identified the emotion.

 

“Did the man try to touch you?”

 

“I moved away…” The boy wringed his hands a little bit.

 

“Can you remember anything else he said to you? Maybe something about himself?”

 

Georgie bit his lip as he glanced off to the side. “Um. He said something about medicine? That he could bring me some of it.”

 

“Did he tell you the name of it?”

 

“I can’t remember it… It starts with an R.”

 

“That’s okay. You’re doing great.” He could see that the boy was getting burned out on being questioned. “I just have a couple more questions and we’ll be done. Did he say anything else? A name, a place, anything about himself?”

 

The boy shook his head. “He just talked to me about me and if I wasn’t getting enough attention. Then he called me a whore.” Georgie didn’t know what that was.

 

Oscar nodded slowly. “How did you get out of the office?”

 

“I said I wanted to leave and he finally unlocked it.”

 

“Did he try anything when you left?”

 

“He told me to run…”

 

“Did he chase you?”

 

“I didn’t look back… I just went to the principal’s office. And then they said that no one was in the guidance office so I was making it up. But I’m not.”

 

“Do you know if anyone went to actually check if the office was empty?”

 

He shook his head.

 

Oscar stood back up straight. “Well, thank you very much for answering my questions. You did very good. The reason I asked all those is so I can help you. That’s what I’m here for.”

 

Georgie nodded his head lightly. “Can I go back inside now?”

 

“Yes, you can. You have a nice night.”

 

The boy didn’t respond as he went back inside the house. He tried to run past his dad but he stopped him by the arm.

“What did the officer say?”

 

He didn’t answer at first; he just tried to get free.

“Nothing! Let me go!”

 

“Stop squirming so much!” He reinforced his grip. “What did you tell him?”

 

“Nothing!!” Georgie was gradually getting louder.

 

“Don’t talk to me like that!”

 

“Zach, let him go.” Sharon finished putting all the dishes away then turned to them. “Right now.”

“Fine.” He rolled his eyes and released his son who ran straight for Bill.


	10. Dreams

Georgie laid on the bed next to his brother. He was thinking about the questions he answered for the officer. There were a couple things that stuck out to him that he didn’t understand. He wondered about the medicine that he couldn’t recall the name of. It was a weird name. He was also confused on the acronym the stranger told him and the name he called him. He looked over at Bill who was reading silently.

“Bill.”

 

“Y-Yes?”

 

“What’s HDH…A? …” Georgie was having trouble with the letters. Luckily, Bill was able to figure it out after some thought.

 

“…ADHD?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“Um.” The teen had to think about it. He didn’t really know exactly about it since he didn’t know anyone who had it. “I th-think it means you h-have trouble with focusing and b-being hyper. B-but I’m not really sure. Why?”

 

“That guy from the guidance office said I had it.”

 

Bill looked at his brother. He hadn’t pressed him for any details on what happened earlier in fear of pushing him away. He wanted to let him come to him. That was incredibly difficult for Bill because he wanted to know what happened. He wanted to keep Georgie safe.

“Y-You don’t have that.” The teen waited for anything else. He wanted him to talk more, but he had to remind himself to not rush him. The boy didn’t say much after that and Bill went back to reading. He just had to wait. After a while, the teen distracted his thoughts on his brother by his book.

 

“Billy?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“What’s a whore?”

 

Bill practically choked on his own saliva and doubled over his book. “Wh-where did y-you hear that from?”

 

“The guy in the guidance room called me one.” Georgie played with his hands as he talked. That meant he was uncomfortable and nervous. “What’s it mean?”

 

Bill was not prepared for this. He took longer than usual to respond, causing the boy look over at him. Feeling his gaze made it worse. Bill stared hard at the pages in front of him, hoping maybe he could avoid answering all together. How was he supposed to answer that anyway? He couldn’t explain that to him.

“Y-You’re not one s-so don’t worry. That guy was j-just trying to be mean.”

He really hoped the cops find this guy and run him over.

 

“But what’s it mean? Is it bad?”

 

“… I-It’s a person…” Bill couldn’t do this.

 

The boy blinked, indifferent to his brother’s crippling awkwardness.

 

“U-Uhh… a person wh-who has lots of… close friends…”

 

They were both silent for a moment, Georgie thinking about it. Bill wished for sudden death. Finally, the boy broke the heavy silence. “We’re close friends!”

 

“Oh, God. N-No, th-that’s not wh-what I meant.”

 

“Then what-“

 

Bill suddenly leaned over Georgie to reach the lamp. “Goodnight!” He shut out the light to avoid any more conversation.

 

Georgie pouted as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark. He turned to his side to face Bill. “But aren’t we close friends?”

 

“…Y-Yes but we’re not… Uhh. I-It’s complicated.” Bill turned away from him. The boy frowned when he turned away. He felt like it was wrong for him to have asked. He still didn’t really understand what it meant. Whatever it was, it made Bill distant all of a sudden. The older sibling waited to feel Georgie press against his back. He couldn’t bring himself to turn around and pull him closer. After a while, Bill looked back to make sure he was still there. He was asleep. He just didn’t sleep pressed against him this time. Bill sighed. It took him longer to fall asleep.

 

The moment he fell into a deep sleep he woke in his reoccurring dream. The teen blinked, trying to register is surroundings. He slowly sat up and looked around. Everything was dark but he could still see. Bill wasn’t aware he was dreaming. He felt as if he was in slow motion as he got off the bed. He was in a house that wasn’t his. Oddly enough, Bill registered the room as his. The teen left “his” room to enter the hallway. At the very end was a red balloon that seemed to illuminate a path. Bill felt compelled to go after the balloon. Each step closer he took, the balloon moved further away. Soon the teen was running in the never-ending hallway as the balloon seemed to stay the same amount of distance away from him. He didn’t know how much time passed before he was finally an arm length away from the balloon. He reached a hand out but it floated just out of reach. Bill vividly felt the string graze his fingertip. Now he was outside in the forest. It was still dark like in the house. The transition in location wasn’t smooth or logical but it was quick. It was similar to a projector switching to a new slide. The teen seemed oblivious to this skip of detail. He also didn’t notice that the balloon was no longer visible. What caught his eye was something else bright; Georgie’s yellow rain jacket.

“Georgie!” The teen ran for his brother who turned around and smiled at him before stepping behind a tree. When Bill got there and looked behind the tree he was gone. He stood there until a voice made him look elsewhere.

 

“I’m here.” Georgie called him over. The boy was standing on a tire swing. The tire was on its side and seemed oddly restrained. The rope went down the middle of the hole and braided around it entirely before tying in a knot underneath the hole. Bill hadn’t seen a tire swing set up like that before. it wasn’t correct but the teen wasn’t fully aware of this mistake. He walked up to his brother.

 

“Where are we?”

 

Georgie was hanging on to the rope that ascended to the branch that held it. He purposely leaned the majority of his weight off to the side in order to make the swing move. He walked along the tire, looking at Bill with his head cocked to one side. “Don’t you recognize this place?”

 

Bill glanced around. It did feel familiar. It felt completely natural but he didn’t exactly know where he was.

“Kinda? Not really.”

 

The boy made a lap around the tire. “You’re not stuttering.”

 

Bill blinked, having not even realized that. “Huh… I guess you’re right. I’m not.”

 

Georgie returned a smile. “Why would you? Restrictions come from the body; never the mind.”

 

The teen’s smile fell slightly. “So… This is my mind?”

 

Georgie giggled at the look on Bill’s face as he was realizing things weren’t as they seemed. He hummed.

“Silly… Think of this as… an alternate reality that takes place at the same time as all the others. This one runs so close that they sometimes intersect. The real question is, which reality are you from? Is it this one? Or a different one? Which one is the true reality?”

 

Bill’s mind wasn’t able to process anything that was being said to him. It completely stalled out. It rejected the idea of another reality. Everything felt too real even with the abnormalities.

 

The boy giggled again before tugging on the rope. “Play with me!”

 

“What?” He had to snap back into functioning.

 

“Play with me, Billy. Use me!”

 

Something didn’t feel right about any of this. Bill tried to figure it out as he climbed on the tire and stood up. He watched his feet as he planted them, grabbing the rope to ensure his balance. The boy grabbed the rope just above his. Bill smirked, placing his other hand above Georgie’s. The boy giggled, staring into his brother’s eyes. Bill bit his lip as he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like his brother, and sounded like him, but something was off. He knew more. Georgie found the other’s confused look amusing as he started shifting his weight. Bill waited to fall into perfect synch with his movements. Together, they moved the swing. Bill started to feel weird.

“I still don’t get it. Where are we?”

 

“I just told you. Weren’t you listening?” He said as he leaned into him further, wanting the swing to go higher. The teen reinforced his grip on the rope.

 

“Yeah, but…what is this? Why does this feel familiar yet weird at the same time?”

 

“You’ve been here before.”

 

“Where’s here?”

 

“Where do you want it to be?”

 

Bill rolled his shoulder as he felt chills down his neck and spine. Georgie laughed and abandoned the tire with a quick jump. The teen blinked, making awkward shifts.

“Hey! Where are you going?”

 

“Follow me to find out!” Georgie ran along into the woods.

 

“Georgie! I really think we need to stay together.” Bill climbed down from the swing, recovering from his awkward feeling. He ran after him, desperate to not lose sight of him. Georgie stopped shortly and turned to face his brother.

 

“Shh.” The boy whispered, pointing up to the red balloon that floated above them. Once it passed by, Georgie looked up to his brother.

“Do you want one?”

 

Bill hesitated to answer. The boy giggled and trotted after the balloon. They were now at the bank of a river. Another changed slide went unnoticed.

 

“Let’s play hopscotch!” Georgie chased the balloon, hopping across rocks in the river. “C’mon, Bill!”

 

The teen looked down at the water running fast. “I don’t know, Georgie. This seems kind of dangerous.”

 

“Billy~ Come on!”

 

Bill sighed as he stepped out on a rock, not feeling very confident in his balance. He watched his brother reach for the balloon. “Careful!”

 

The boy’s footing slipped slightly but he managed to successfully grab the balloon. “Don’t worry! I’ll float.”

 

“Huh?” Bill was carefully taking one rock at a time. He looked up to see his brother watching him with the balloon in hand.

 

“You’ll float too, Bill. We all float.”

 

Before the teen could ask what he meant, he heard a snap followed by a loud sound of rushing water. He looked to see a flood of water coming straight for them. Bill didn’t have time to look away but the last thing he heard was Georgie laughing. The water hit hard, knocking them off the rocks and dragging them with the current. Bill caught a glimpse of Georgie being shredded by the strength of the current and jagged rocks that he was forced into. His blood tainted the water and was carried further down with Bill. The teen managed to get his head above the water to gasp for one last breath before a rock gave him a similar fate as Georgie.

 

Bill gasped awake, forcing himself to break free from the paralysis his body seemed to be in. His eye lids felt too heavy to open as he was still living his dream. He grunted, pulling himself to sit up with all his might. He placed a hand over his racing heart just to see if he was alive and looked over at his brother who was fast asleep. Bill sat there as he remembered everything. That was the reoccurring dream that he could never remember. He now wished he didn’t remember it. It was like the more he remembered it the harder it was to wake out of it. He pulled Georgie to him for comfort, nuzzling into him until he heard a slight squeak.

 

“Not so hard…” The boy mumbled while half asleep, turning to get comfortable beneath him.

 

“S-sorry,” He whispered. The teen was saddened by his stutter. The dream had mostly vanished now but he remembered he didn’t stutter while he was there. He sighed, trying to feel comfort by surrounding himself with his brother. Georgie was quickly back to sleep. Bill didn’t expect he’d be able to fall back to sleep. Instead, he gently ran his fingertips along Georgie’s side for a while. When he was sure the boy had time to fall deeper into sleep, Bill nuzzled closer. He held him like he could lose him soon. The teen forced himself to stay awake the rest of the night. When he saw the morning sunlight start to break through, he decided it would be safe enough to sleep. Hours later, he woke to discover Georgie was gone. He pouted, rolling over to lay where he once was. He was so close to falling back to sleep when he felt pressure of someone crawling on him. He groaned.

 

“It’s lunch time!”

 

The teen hooked Georgie with an arm and tugged him down to lay beside him. “Sleep…”

 

“Lunch!!” The boy squirmed, having too much energy to even attempt to stay still long enough to go to sleep again.

 

Bill lazily opened his eyes. “Go back t-to sleep with me…”

 

“Eat with me!”

 

“S-Sleep f-first,” He mumbled pitifully, yanking the covers over their heads.

 

“But you’ve been asleep all morning!”

 

The teen shut his eyes with a grunt. “So loud…”

 

“Bill! Bill! Bill!!” Georgie was gradually getting louder to get his brother up.

 

“O-Okay, I’m UP. J-Jesus…”

 

“Yay!” The boy sat up and pushed off the covers.

 

Bill wrapped his arms around him and playfully pushed him back down. “F-Fight me.”

 

“Nooo, I don’t wanna wrestle! I want food!” He squirmed and pushed him away. Bill whined and stayed flopped on him. “You said you were up!”

 

“I am.”

 

“Up up!” The boy managed to wriggle his way out and he stared at his brother who was a wet noodle. “That’s not up.”

 

“Mehh…”

 

“I thought you loved food.”

 

“What k-kind is it?”

 

“Follow me to find out!” Georgie crawled over him. The teen got a strange wave of déjà vu, followed by an uneasy feeling. He groaned and stayed where he was.

“Do you want me to bring back food?”

 

“Y-Yes.”

The teen shut his eyes and tried to fall back asleep before his brother returned. He wasn’t that lucky.

 

 “I’m back!” He climbed on the bed with two sandwiches. “Sit up and eat!”

 

Bill sat up with more groans. He leaned over and nommed on Georgie’s shoulder.

 

“Don’t eat _me_!” Georgie slapped him in the face with a sandwich. Bill laughed and grabbed the sandwich he was disciplined with.

“That one is mine!”

 

“Y-You hit me w-with it.”

 

“This one is yours” The boy handed him a sandwich that looked identical. Bill smirked and quickly took a bite out of Georgie’s. “Hey!” He reached for his brother’s sandwich but Bill raised it out of reach. “Give me yours!”

 

“No, t-this one’s mine.”

 

“You ate m _ine!_ ”

 

The teen laughed, preventing him from grabbing the sandwich. He leaned back as his brother climbed on him.

 

“Give me it!!”

 

He laughed again, now laying on his back as Georgie finally snatched the sandwich to take a bite out of it before giving it back.

“I-It’s the same kind.”

 

“Doesn’t matter. You ate some of mine so I ate some of yours.” Georgie sat on him, feeling accomplished. The teen smirked, rolling his eyes.

 

 

Later that day, the brothers were outside when Stan and Beverly rode up on their bikes.

 

“Hey, Bill. We were all heading over to the river to swim for a bit. You wanna come?”

 

Bill was about to respond when he suddenly felt uneasy again.

 

“I wanna go! Can I go, Billy?” Georgie looked up at him with pleading eyes. The teen blinked, a reminder of his nightmare taking over his sight. He watched a replay of his brother being pierced by rocks. It was too much.

 

“No!”

 

They all seemed a little surprised by his shout.

 

Bill bit his lip, looking down at his brother. “N-No, y-you can’t come.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“I j-just don’t want you to go.”

 

Georgie’s face fell at his brother’s choice of words. The teen winced slightly.

“N-Not that I don’t _want_ you. I just… S-Stay here.” There’s no way he could tell them he had a dream of him dying in a river. Not to mention _himself_ also dying. He’d sound crazy in front of everyone.

 

“I don’t want to stay here. Dad’s home.”

 

Bill sighed, having completely forgotten about their dad. As long as they stayed out of his way then things were usually fine, but that was more difficult when they were alone. Bill would just have to stay home with Georgie. The teen wanted to go off with his friends. He hadn’t gotten the chance to do that in a while. But he wasn’t going to risk his nightmare having truth to it by bringing Georgie to the river. He rather be safe than sorry. And he didn’t want him alone with dad.

“M-Maybe another time, guys.”

 

“I could stay here with Georgie,” Beverly offered with a shrug. “I don’t really feel like swimming anyways.”

 

“N-No, y-you don’t h-have to do that.”

 

“I don’t mind! And besides,” she smiled at Georgie. “I promised we’d color together.”

 

“Yeah!!” The boy was ecstatic again.

 

Bill still seemed hesitant.

“Come on, Bill.” Stan encourage. “It’ll be fun. You could use it.”

 

The teen sighed. Nothing was going to happen. He just had to convince himself of that.

“O-Okay. I’ll be back soon, Georgie.”

 

“Okay, whatever, bye!” He immediately turned to Beverly. “I have crayons inside!”

 

Bill rolled his eyes at how easily he was tossed to the side. Beverly giggled and clapped a hand on Bill’s shoulder as she followed Georgie in his house. “See you boys later.”

 

Stan also made a slight smirk, waiting for Bill to get his bike so they can leave.

“We’re meeting Eddie and Richie there.”

Once they started down the road, he glanced over at him.

“So, how are you holding up?” Stan asked, figuring he’d be more open to talk since they were alone.

 

“I’m e-existing.” He focused on the road instead of looking at him.

 

“Everything okay with you and Georgie?”

 

“Y-Yeah, it’s b-better. You kn-know with all this going on with the i-intruder at his school I d-don’t really know wh-what’ll happen.”

 

“Has he told you anything about it?”

 

“N-Not much. I d-don’t wanna push him a-and he stop t-talking to me again.”

 

“Yeah… The whole thing seems odd to me.”

 

Bill looked over at him. “W-What do you mean?”

 

“Doesn’t it seem a little… placed to you? I don’t know… I’ve been thinking about it and something just doesn’t feel right about this guy. He shows up for one kid? If he’s a kidnapper then why didn’t follow through? Even if Georgie got away he could have taken others but he didn’t. At least, we don’t _know_ if he did. So, what was the point? Is he coming back?”

 

Bill hadn’t given it much thought. He didn’t want to. As much as he wanted to ignore the whole situation, Stan’s questions were good ones.

“I d-don’t know… But th-there’s more to it. There’s more g-going on. If it w-was just him th-that’d be one thing, but so much is ha-happening. I f-feel like I’m being attacked at all s-sides.”

 

“Family stuff getting to you?”

 

Bill sighed. “It’s m-more than just that…” The teen’s thoughts flipped through Pennywise and the Bowsers’ Gang. There was just too much for him to handle.

“Y-Yeah, family s-sucks but everyone is g-going through something. I’d f-feel like a b-bitch to complain about m-mine.”

 

Stanley frowned as he glanced over at his friend. “But you have a little brother who’s also going through it. He can’t even really complain; he just has to take it.”

 

“I _know_ that.” The other teen was getting upset. “W-What am I-I supposed to do?”

 

Stanley didn’t know a way to help but he wished he could. For now, he stopped talking.

 

 

 

Georgie and Beverly sat at the coffee table in the living room. She was flipping through one of the coloring books while the boy dumped the crayons out the box.

“Hmm. I think I want to color this one.” She showed him the picture of a kitten she found.

 

“Okay!” Georgie had picked out a seahorse he wanted to color. Beverly carefully tore the kitten page out of the book along the dashed line. She glanced up when she heard someone walk by. Zach didn’t notice anything at first until after he was a few steps passed them. He stopped and went back to check what he saw.

“Who are you?”

 

She smiled politely. “I’m Beverly. I go to school with Bill. We were in the school play together if you rem-”

 

“Oh, I didn’t go to that,” he cut her off before going back to what he was doing.

 

She looked at Georgie who kept his eyes on the coloring sheet before him.

“Pass me the orange,” she said softly, smiling at him.

 

The boy handed her the crayon and watched as she started coloring the kitten. He watched how precise and slow she was taking it. She wasn’t rushing through the picture. Beverly glanced up at him when he started to color his seahorse carefully with green. She smiled at him. He was adopting her technique.

“You’re making him green?” She asked.

 

“He’s going to be multi colored!”

 

“Awesome.” She smirked and grabbed a pink crayon for the nose and ears.

 

They colored until it started to get dark outside. Luckily, they finished their pictures by then.

“I should head home.” She helped put the crayons back in the box before she stood up to stretch her legs. “I had fun!”

 

“Me too!”

 

She chuckled, taking her picture and handing it to Georgie. “Here. Let’s switch.”

 

“Okay!” He took the kitten picture and gave her the seahorse.

 

She smiled. “I’ll see you later, Georgie.”


	11. When I Grow Up

When they arrived at the river, Bill was very apprehensive. Stanley was the only one who noticed how on edge he seemed. Eddie and Richie, who were already in the water, called for them to hurry up. Stan wasn’t sure why Bill seemed almost scared to get in the water. They’ve all went swimming before so he knew Bill could swim. He eventually assumed it was all stress. Stan didn’t know the half of it but he knew it was substantial for Bill to be acting the way he was. He kept an eye on his friend until he saw him slowly loosen up. He smiled as Bill started to act more like himself. After a while, they moved further down the river to get into deeper areas. Soon they found an area deep enough to dive in. Richie was the one that spotted a ledge that would be perfect to jump off of. When they got to top, they challenged each other to see who could touch the bottom of the lake. During Bill’s jump, he didn’t even get close to the bottom. He actually couldn’t see where the bottom was. Just as he was about to swim up, something yanked him further down. He panicked and kicked his feet to get free but there wasn’t anything holding on to him. Bill didn’t want to stay around to find anything down there with him. No matter how hard he swam, he didn’t move an inch from where he was. Something was keeping him there. This made him panic more. The teen covered his hands over his nose and mouth. He wasn’t going to be able to hold his breath much longer. He wasn’t close to anything to kick off from to give him a boost. He squeezed his eyes shut as something Georgie told him in his dream crossed his mind.

_I’ll float…_

 

Bill stopped kicking and completely surrendered as he slowly started to glide upwards. The teen tried to not think about how far he had to go to get to the surface. He felt so much pressure on his lungs that it was getting harder to stay conscious. His vision blurred and became darkened with spots as he made one last effort to swim up. He broke the surface with a desperate gasp. Adrenaline from fear gave him the energy to swim to the bank where he pulled himself out. Stan frowned as he watched him leave the water. He swam over to check on him.

“You okay?”

 

Bill didn’t answer. He was exhausted and still a little light headed.

“Y-Yeah…”

 

“What happened?”

 

It was obvious that Bill didn’t want to answer. He didn’t even know _how_ to answer.

 

“Do you want to go home?”

 

“N-No.” Bill had enough strength to move further away from the bank. Stanley followed him as he went to sit down against a tree. “I’m g-glad to be away from th-there.”

 

Stan sat next to him for a while. He glanced over at him. “Do you want to take a nap?” He asked. Bill looked beyond exhausted.

 

Bill blinked and looked at Stan. “Wh-What?”

 

He shrugged and looked over at Richie and Eddie who were still in the water. “I won’t let them draw stuff on you.” He smiled.

 

“B-But are _you_ g-going to draw on me?”

 

Stan smirked as he glanced away. “I can’t promise anything.”

 

“M-Make sure it’s s-somewhere my parents w-won’t see it.” Bill smiled tiredly and plopped on his side. “I d-don’t like sleeping,” he mumbled after a moment.

 

“Why not? Sleep is great.”

 

“My d-dreams aren’t.” He sighed as he shut his eyes, quickly falling asleep.

 

Stan frowned and watched him until he was sure he was asleep. He left for a moment while he grabbed a sharpie from Richie’s bag. He popped off the lid as an idea came to his head. He drew carefully on his skin, smiling at how it turned out. He drew Pac-Man on his stomach, dotting the path down to his waistband. At the end of the dotted path was a rough sketch of a heart. He was about to leave it but started getting second thoughts. Quickly, he scribbled over the top of the heart and added dots, making it into a strawberry. He hoped it wouldn’t be noticeable that it used to be a heart. Stan also added a ghost with a squiggly mouth for good measure. He regretted everything as he looked at it.

 

When Bill finally woke up, Stan covered Bill’s stomach with his shirt. “Don’t look at it! Not till you get home.”

 

Bill blinked. It took him a moment to realize what he was talking about. “Oh. Is it s-stupid?”

 

“ _Very_.”

 

The teen rolled his eyes as he sat up. He closed his eyes while he slipped on his shirt so he wouldn’t see the drawing.

“W-Where’s Eddie and R-Richie?” He asked as he looked around. It was starting to get dark.

 

“They left a while ago.”

 

“A-And you didn’t w-wake me?”

 

“You looked like you needed the sleep.” He gave Bill a caring look but the teen wasn’t looking at him.

“Do you want to head home?”

 

“No.” Bill sighed heavily. “I w-wish I never h-had to go home.”

 

Stan didn’t know how to respond so he only listened. Bill glanced over to him. “B-But if you want t-to go y-you can.”

 

“I don’t mind. It’s nice out here.” He reassured him with a small smile.

 

They stayed a while longer before Bill decided they should get home. It was pretty dark by this time so the teen insisted on going with Stan home. When they said goodnight to each other, Bill headed for his house.

 

 

Georgie sat on the floor in his room while he watched tv. Bill still wasn’t home so he chose to hide from their dad by staying in his room.

 

“Hello, Georgie~”

 

The boy was unfazed by the clown standing behind him. “You can’t have Bill.”

 

Pennywise smirked. “You’re no fun, you know that? Maybe that’s why Bill didn’t want you to go with him. You’re too boring. It’s kind of mean of him, isn’t it?”

 

“Still no.” He looked back at him. “You can’t hurt him or kill him. We had a deal.”

 

“What would you do if I did?” He grinned. The clown laughed as he watched the boy turn back to the tv. “Nothing! You have no true weight in this deal! _I_ make the rules.”

 

“Then you don’t need to ask my permission or even keep me alive. So, what do you want?” He was praying to call his bluff.

 

His smile faded as his eyes pierced through the kid. “I _don’t_ need to. You’re not important to keep around in this world, but… you are beneficial. Now the cops are even distracted.”

 

Georgie was silent.

 

“But you know who’s not beneficial? Bill.”

 

“ _Still_ No.”

 

“ _Fine!_ ”

 

The boy jumped at his sudden raise in voice.

 

“I don’t _need_ to kill Bill anyways. He’ll do that to himself.” He laughed demonically.

 

“No, he won’t!”

 

“You’re so _stupid_. You’re lucky you’re useful.”

 

Georgie frowned and returned his attention to the tv. Pennywise didn’t leave this time. He sat on the floor behind him. The boy skittishly looked back at him. He didn’t like when Pennywise was physically with him. It was scary. He always did his best to play it off like he was more annoyed than frightened but that became more difficult to do the longer he was present.

“Why are you still here?” He turned around so he could be facing him.

 

“What’s wrong. Georgie? I thought we were friends.”

 

“We’re not friends. You’re evil! Go away!”

 

Pennywise was overly animated as he clutched a hand to his own chest. “Oh, I’m _hurt_ you would say such a mean thing! Georgie, how could you?!”

 

Georgie didn’t like this.

 

“I don’t know why you’re so determined to make me out as the evil one. Look in a mirror if you want to see evil stare back at you. You can even just look at your brother.” He snickered. “He’s the same. My job is simply to kill the bad people. I’m the only good guy here!”

 

“That’s not true… I’m not bad and neither is Billy!”

 

“Look at you! You’re letting people die so you can live, selfish brat! That’s pretty bad if you ask me.”

 

Georgie bit his lip as he glanced down at the palm of his hand. The number had grown to 8.

 

“As for your brother, he’s going to grow up to be an abuser. If he’s not dead before then.”

 

“No, he’s not!”

 

“Hate to burst your bubble, but kids always turn into their parents. Billy is going to end up just like your dad. It’s already started.” He laughed at the boy’s worried expression.

 

“He could be nice like mom…”

 

“HA! She’s worse than that poor excuse for a father of yours!” He leaned closer to him. “She _lets_ it happen and she doesn’t care.”

 

“You’re just a liar!” Georgie was starting to get upset by all of this. He didn’t like hearing any of this.

 

“That’s a mean thing to call your friend! I thought you of all people would be glad to have a friend.”

 

“I have friends.”

 

“Your brother doesn’t count!” He laughed at him. “He’s family! He only puts up with you because he has to. If it was by choice then he wouldn’t give you the time of day. It’s why he’s trying to kill you. If you were smart, you’d let me kill him for you.”

 

“No means no.”

 

“I don’t know why you’re trying to protect him so much. Unless…” An evil smile curled on his face. “You want to be the one to kill him?”

 

“No!”

 

“Oh, that’s _perfect!_ You can be the one that kills him!”

 

“No…”

 

“Why not? Want to know what _you_ grow up to be? A serial killer.” He laughed. “It’s quite an amusing cycle of events that takes place if I don’t intervene any.”

 

Georgie looked like he could be close to tears but that didn’t stop Pennywise from talking.

 

“The two of you will grow up completely damaged and dysfunctional thanks to your parents. There’s even a period of time where you and your brother live together. Bill will take after your dad and be an abuser. You’ll take after your mom and allow it to happen to you. His protection of you will soon turn into obsession. He’ll drink a lot and beat you. You’ll stay because you think you _love_ him.”

 

Georgie watched the shift of animosity in his voice at the four-letter word.

 

“After a while, you won’t be able to take it anymore so you’ll run away in the middle of the night. There will be no contact between you and your brother for years. Bill will never fully get over this loss of you; not knowing where you are or why you left. When he has his own family, he’ll take out his grief of you on them. You’ll only continue to repeat your mistakes by getting into more abusive relationships. Eventually, you’ll snap and start killing.” Pennywise giggled. “Isn’t that exciting?”

 

Georgie was a complete wreck, trying to control his trembling.

 

“But! If I do my job, then things get a little easier. It’s why you were supposed to die the night we met. Luckily for you, you’re so cute and I’ve become attached. But if I were to have killed you that night, things would be so different.” He grinned. “Poor Bill! He’d be stuck trying to cope your loss that was all his fault. Your mom would become even more absent due to grief. Your father would grow more abusive towards Bill. He won’t be able to take it. He’ll hang himself. You _need_ me to change these events. If you let me kill Bill then he won’t have to endure any of this. Of course, he’s close to hanging himself already, so I suppose we can wait that out. You on the other hand, need someone to do it for you. Unless I let you get older so you can kill yourself.”

 

“Leave us alone…” He whimpered. “I don’t believe you…”

 

“Awwww. Did I upset you?” He tilted his head as he leaned in close to him. The boy scooted back. “We can’t have that! How about this? You don’t have to kill Bill at all. Forget about that loser. I can give you something you really want.”

 

Georgie was quiet.

 

“Since you like living so much, I can make you live forever! Wouldn’t that be fun? You could be immortal. That’s something people would kill to have.”

 

“No…” He didn’t trust his grin. “You’d make me pay for it.”

 

Pennywise grinned that he was able to see the catch. “Hm. Maybe you’re not as stupid of a rodent as I initially thought. I’m so proud!” He spoke teasingly as he poked the boy’s cheek. “You _can_ learn!” He laughed as he withdrew his hand. “How about we adjust our deal? For the remainder of a year, I want you to help me. You don’t have to kill anyone! You’ll still be just a distraction for this town. The only difference is you’ll be seeing a lot more of me, and I want you to help lure people to me-“

 

“No.”

 

“Let me _FINISH_.” He said through grit teeth. Georgie flinched. He didn’t like the sudden switch in mood Pennywise would do. It frightened him.

“Look, kid. You’ve already been helping. People have already been dying. I just want you to help even more. Some people are easier to kill than others. This is where you come into play. Get people to trust you. While their defenses are down, it’ll be easier for me to frighten them and kill them. And if there’s any particular person you want me to kill, I’ll do it. Free of charge. Think of this new deal as gaining a friend with protection benefits. Bill is still off limits. I won’t harm him in any physical way. The stipulations I have is you must keep your pretty mouth _shut._ Don’t go telling anyone about this deal. _Including_ your brother.” He pointed a finger at him. “You’ll be locked into a contract with me for only a year. If you do this, once the contract is up you can choose to walk away with no scratches. You’ll be alive with all your body parts. And I will never bother you or Bill again. Or, you can choose to permanently help me. If you do that then I’ll give you immortality. If you’re unable to hold your tongue about this deal, I will pardon it ONCE in exchange for a limb. So, if you _must_ tell Bill, you’ll still live but you’ll be missing something. If you try to back out of this deal before your year contract is up, then it will cost your life. Sound fair?”

 

Georgie bit his lip. “Just one year?”

 

“It’s actually a little less. I only have a year to roam around so I have to make the most of what I got left.”

 

“So, I can tell Bill but I’ll lose something?”

 

“Yes. Just one limb in exchange for telling one soul.” He held up one finger.

 

“And you’ll let me and Bill go and never come after us again after the year is over?”

 

“Are you just going to restate everything I said to annoy me? Yes! I thought I was speaking very clearly! Do we have this contract or not?”

 

The boy let out a shaky sigh. “…Deal…”

 

Pennywise grinned widely and shook his hand to make it official.

“Now, since you’re likely to tell someone, let’s go ahead and pick which limb you lose.” He chuckled, grabbing a leg and tugging him out of sitting Indian style. He placed a claw starting on Georgie’s right leg. “Eenie, meenie, miney, mo. Catch a rabbit by its toe.” As he chanted the changed nursery rhyme, he went across the boy’s limbs. “If he hollers, let him go. Eenie, meenie, miney, _mo!_ ” He landed on his right arm and gripped it. “Looks like we have a winner,” he grinned. “Now remember if you tell anyone about this deal, you lose this.” He tightened his grip which made the boy wince. “Make sure it’s worth it.”

 

“Okay! Just let go! It hurts.”

 

“Georgie!” Sharon walked to her son’s doorway. “Dinner is ready, sweetie.” She looked around his room, frowning. She heard his voice as she going to his room so she expected to see someone with him. “Who were you talking to?”

 

“No one.”

 

“But I heard you.”

 

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you…”

His tv suddenly shifted to pure, loud static. The noise made Sharon jump but Georgie just glanced at it.

 

“…Turn that off and come on…” She waited as her son did as he was told. She stared at the tv curiously and glanced around his room one last time. “We’re going to church tomorrow,” she mumbled mostly to herself.

 

Bill came home just in time for dinner. Georgie was excited when he saw him but quickly tried to suppress it. He didn’t want to seem like he all he did was wait for him to come back.

 

“Hi, honey.” Sharon smiled as she got their plates of food together.

 

“What happened to you?” Zach asked as he scanned him. “You look like you’ve been sleeping outside.”

 

Bill blushed from embarrassment. That’s exactly what he’s been doing but he definitely wasn’t going to admit it. His mom combed her fingers in his hair to fix it once she brought his plate to him.

 

“What have you been doing?” Zach asked.

 

“N-Nothing.”

 

“Must be a whole lot of nothing.” He smirked. “Your shirt’s on backwards, sly guy.”

 

Bill looked down to find that it was true.

“Oh...” The teen cringed. He wondered if Stan noticed at all. He hoped he didn’t.

 

“What took you so long to get home? Didn’t you see it was getting dark?”

 

“I t-took Stan home f-first.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Stan.” Bill repeated. “Y-You’ve met him b-before.”

 

His father grunted dismissively. “Can’t he take himself home?”

 

“I j-just thought I’d b-be n-nice…”

 

 “Don’t give me that crap. No one takes anyone home just to be nice.”

 

“Zach…” Sharon gave him a look. “I think it’s very nice he did that.”

 

Zach had a response to her but chose to roll his eyes instead. He looked from one son to the other. “So, you’re bringing older girls home,” he said, looking at Georgie. Then he looked at Bill. “And you’re rolling around in the dirt with some boy. Lovely,” he mumbled sarcastically.

 

Everyone was quiet during dinner until Zach spoke up again. “That girl you brought home… Isn’t she that whore?”

 

“Zach!”

 

“I’m serious! I heard stories about her.” He looked at Georgie. “Stop bringing her around. You might catch something.” The boy didn’t respond to him. It was mostly because he didn’t really understand what he was talking about.

 

Bill scoffed and rolled his eyes. Zach stared at him. “I don’t have to worry about you. Unless Stan is a whore too.”

 

“Zach… Please…”

 

“What?”

 

The teen finished his dinner quickly so he could leave the table. Georgie followed him when he left.

 

“H-How was coloring with B-Beverly?” The teen asked, looking down at him.

 

“It was great!” He was a little ball of bursting energy from holding it in.

 

Bill smirked. “D-Did you m-miss me?”

 

He was about to shout yes until he remembered he was supposed to not seem like he cared.

“No,” he lied. “How was the river?”

 

“Good.” Bill lied. The river itself wasn’t good at all. He did enjoy hanging out with his friends, though.

 

“Did you miss me?” Georgie asked in a tiny voice.

 

“A little.” Bill smiled.

 

“I missed you too!!”

 

He laughed and hugged his brother. “S-Show me w-what you colored.”

 

“I can’t. Beverly has it. But I can show you what Beverly colored for me!” The boy ran to his room to retrieve it.

 

Bill smiled then remembered his shirt. He pulled it up and noticed the sharpie tattoo he was given. He couldn’t help but to grin at it.

“S-So stupid.”

 

 

Georgie refused to leave his brother’s side that night since he was away for so long. It’s not like he was gone _that_ long but Bill didn’t mind at all.

The boys stayed together to get through the rest of the weekend. The majority of their Monday was normal until the end.

 

 

“Oh, look. There’s our bunny now.” Henry smirked as he pointed out Georgie from the crowd of high school students. He was standing with his brother who was talking with Stan.

 

Victor glanced at his friend before addressing Henry. “And there’s Bill with another one of the losers.”

 

“They’re fixing to leave,” he mumbled, watching them. Sure enough, Stan soon left. The leader of the gang smiled then looked at his followers. “Go up to him,” he challenged. Victor and Belch refused.

 

“I’ll go,” Patrick volunteered. Henry ignored him as he looked at the other two.

 

“What are you afraid of? A puny loser?” He snorted. “You guys are useless. Stay here and watch.” Henry, followed by Patrick, headed over to the boy.

 

 

Bill and Georgie were just about to leave together when Officer Bowers caught their attention.

“Can I speak with you boys for a moment?” He said as he walked over.

 

“S-Sure.” Bill figured he was there to talk to Georgie about the intruder incident some more. He wondered if they were actually doing anything about it or if they were just making it look like they were investigating.

 

Georgie’s attention was quickly shifted to the larger teen that wasn’t too far away. In fact, Henry was walking right for him.

“Billy,” The boy’s first instinct was to call for his brother rather than just say what was wrong.

 

Bill searched their surroundings the second his brain registered his name was called. He could never be sure what the threat would be. It could be Pennywise or Henry. This time, it was Henry. The teen reached to intertwine their fingers. “I’m here.”

 

Officer Bowers followed their gazes to find what the problem was. Henry, who hadn’t realized his father was right there with them, stopped dead in his tracks when their eyes met. Patrick, who was only focusing on Georgie, ran into the back of Henry. “Hey, what’d you stop for?”

“Shut up!” Henry hissed. He made an awkward shift in his path and walked back where he came from like he had somewhere to be. Oscar raised an eyebrow as he watched his son brisk away. Patrick followed him with a confused look on his face.

 

 

“Anyways…” The officer turned his attention back to the boys. “When I was at your house the other night, your father mentioned a clown of sorts? What can you tell me about that?”

 

Bill was quiet. There was no reason for him to learn anything about Pennywise. The last thing they needed was a cop, of all people, to think they were insane. They’d be sent to an asylum for sure.

 

“A clown has been bothering us, but dad doesn’t believe us.”

 

The teen cringed.

_Dammit, Georgie!_

 

The officer seemed confused. “What kind of clown is bothering you?”

 

The boy shrugged.

 

“Well, why doesn’t your dad believe it?”

 

Bill had squeezed Georgie’s hand to signal to him to stop talking but the boy didn’t translate it to mean that. He simply squeezed back.

“He doesn’t see it like we do.”

 

Bill sighed. Yep, they were going to be shipped off for sure now. The teen couldn’t come up with a response quick enough to be able to jump in before the officer’s next question.

 

“So, only you see him?”

 

“Yes!” Georgie smiled. Oscar glanced over to the teen who looked dead inside.

 

“You see him too?” He asked Bill.

 

“Unfor-Unfortunately…”

 

“Do you see him now?” He asked cautiously. Oscar didn’t know enough to be able to fully assess what was going on.

 

“No.” The boy said nonchalantly.

 

“What does he look like?”

 

“His face is weird.”

 

The boy said it so bluntly that Bill snorted with laughter. He brought up his free hand into a face palm. He wasn’t expecting that response from his brother. As painful as it was to listen to him try to describe Pennywise, it made him laugh.

 

Officer Bowers needed more to go off of than just that. “Is he tall or short?”

 

“Everyone’s tall.”

 

Now it was Oscar’s turn to slowly have a smile grow on his face as he smirked. He supposed that would be true coming from a petite seven-year-old.

“I see,” he humored him. “I suppose I need to write this down.”

 

The boy’s eyes lit up. Bill, however, was less than amused. He slowly slid his hand down his face, rolling his eyes. He didn’t trust that Oscar was going to believe them. He was probably writing a note to have them checked in a psychiatric hospital rather than jot down Georgie’s statement. Whatever he was doing seemed to make Georgie happy though. 

 

“I can g-give you an a-accurate description.” The teen hoped that maybe with a real description then the officer would take that and leave. He looked over to his brother who was amazed that Oscar was helping them but Bill didn’t see it as help. He didn’t trust him.

 

“Did anything change at home when these appearances started?” He asked once he finished writing.

 

“Billy got sick.”

 

The officer returned his eyes to Bill. The teen sighed, deciding he’d have to start talking just to bear being stared at.

“Y-Yeah. I had to s-stay in bed for a-awhile.”

 

Oscar then scanned Georgie. “So, that left you alone to deal with your father. That’s a lot of stress to handle. Then you started seeing this clown?”

The boy wasn’t really sure where he was going with it but Bill had an assumption.

“Th-this isn’t our minds p-playing tricks on us. This is r-real. I saw h-him too.”

 

“When did you see him?”

 

“T-The same night G-Georgie did.”

 

“Were you still sick?”

 

“Y-Yeah…” Bill _really_ didn’t trust Oscar. He was Henry’s dad, after all. He didn’t trust any of them.

 

“How often do you two see him now?”

 

The teen had to think about it. He hadn’t actually seen Pennywise in a while. He’s _heard_ his annoying voice beat him down in his mind, but surprisingly he hasn’t seen ugly face.

“I-It’s been a while.”

 

“Almost daily.” Especially after Georgie made that deal with Pennywise it’s almost seemed like the clown was just becoming a part of daily routine.

 

Bill and Oscar both looked at the boy in shock. The teen felt an incredible twinge of guilt. He had no idea that Georgie was being visited by Pennywise so often. He wondered why he never told him. Why did he not tell him but he was so quick to tell a cop who was a stranger? Did he not feel comfortable enough to come to him about it? Did he not trust him? Was he not good enough? Bill felt the familiar pull of depression and now a new nudge of inferiority. He wasn’t used to Georgie ever going to anyone other than him. He didn’t like the feeling of being pushed to the side. He didn’t understand why it bothered him because he knew it wasn’t like Georgie was going to replace him. He _knew_ that. So, why did it hurt? Bill decided it shouldn’t but it didn’t change anything. He wondered if Georgie connected the dots that Oscar was Henry’s dad. He probably didn’t. It would be best if it stayed that way. The last thing the boy would need is a negative association to the officer.

 

“And how would you boys describe your home life?”

 

“F-Fine.”

“Bad.”

 

The boys had attempted to speak in unison, expecting they would have said the same answer. Georgie looked up at his brother who glanced away to the side. Bill had lied, of course. The teen was a little surprised by how open Georgie was willing to be. How could he be so willing to trust him?

 

Oscar looked at Bill patiently. He waited for the teen to meet his eyes. He never did.

 

“Well, I’ll keep a look out for any clowns as well as this intruder,” he told Georgie. He looked back at Bill. “I can help you two,” he mumbled before getting ready to leave. “But you have to tell me. I can’t act on assumptions.”

 

Bill didn’t respond to him.

 

“Just think about it.”

 

Georgie waved to him as he left. The boy looked up at his brother. “He’s going to help us!”

 

“I-I don’t know about that...”

 

 

 

Henry made his way back to Victor and Belch, a look of worry on his face.

“What’s wrong?” Belch asked.

 

“Yeah, what happened?” Victor added.

 

The teen made a slight glance back to his father before turning back to his group. “They’re talking to my dad.” He spoke quietly even though they were out of ear-shot.

 

“What for?” Victor leaned over to see them.

 

“I don’t know…”

 

“Think he squealed?” Patrick asked, also looking back at them.

 

“They could be talking about anything,” Victor tried to ease Henry’s panic. “It’s probably nothing.”

 

“Why would my dad be talking to them if it was nothing?” He snapped.

 

“Your dad would take your side on it, wouldn’t he?” Patrick asked with a shrug. “Kids get details messed up so he’s not that reliable. Plus, you’re his son.”

 

Henry wasn’t convinced in the slighted. He was terrified of getting caught.

 

“I don’t think he’s tattling,” Belch added. “Your dad would have come up to you.”

 

The teen didn’t listen to any reason. “I want him dead before he does tattle. _Now._ ”

              

“Well… It _can’t_ be right now.” Victor said. “Don’t you see all these people?”

 

“I don’t care.”

 

Belch and Victor exchanged looks as Henry made another paranoid glance back at his dad.

 

“I want all of you to come up with a way to kill him,” he mumbled. “And I want it by tomorrow. Be creative.” Henry wanted to get out of there as quick as possible. Patrick walked away with him but Belch and Victor stayed behind.

 

Victor sent his friend a familiar look of being fed up. Belch glanced away. “Don’t give me that look; I know! But what choice do we have?”

 

Victor groaned and raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to do this!”

 

“Well, you’re going to have to. And this backtalking you’ve been doing lately needs to stop. Henry isn’t going to put up with it for too much longer. I’m surprised he hasn’t already slit your throat…” Belch really hoped his friend would heed his warning. He didn’t want to see him killed.

 

“I can’t take this laying down anymore… This is going too far. Doesn’t any of this feel off to you?”

 

Belch made a face as he thought about it. “… I mean, Patrick is psycho on a good day but Henry...? He’s made us do some real shit before with terrorizing people and killing pets but a kid? Why is he after him so bad anyways?”

 

“That’s what I been trying to figure out!” He was glad someone else noticed. “I’m sure Henry is a freak but he’s never preyed on a little kid before… And it’s not like he’s going after any other ones. It’s just him. What on earth has possessed him to be so hellbent on this kid? This isn’t like him. Vandalism, almost _and_ literally beating someone to death, killing animals, those things are like him. But he’s never cared about a little kid.”

 

“And what’s with him calling him bunny?”

 

Victor shrugged. “I guess it gets him off…”

 

“You think it’s to get at Bill?”

 

Victor scratched his head, looking over at the boys talking to the officer. “Maybe? I guess the best way to hurt someone is to violate and kill the one he loves most? But why? Why Bill?”

 

Belch only shook his head. He had no idea what Henry’s motive was. His friend sighed, looking at him with fatigue and sorrow.

 

“How long are we going to keep doing this, Reg?”

 

Belch almost didn’t even recognize his name. He hadn’t been called that in a long time and it’d only ever been by Victor.

“We just got to make it through high school.”

 

“We said that in middle school… I don’t want to keep doing this. I don’t want to end up in jail because of the shit Henry makes us do.”

 

“There’s nothing we can do. You have to play along.”

 

“I don’t want to anymore.”

 

“Listen to me. There is no way out of this. The best thing for you to do is keep your head down and play along. The more you try to fight back, the deeper you’ll have to get in that kid.” Belch tried his best to fix his friend’s look of despair. “It’s just until after high school. After this we’ll leave this hellhole and go to any state you wanna go to.”

 

Victor wasn’t cheered up. “But are we going to live to make it through high school?”

 

“I don’t know…”


	12. Shame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think this chapter is really that great simply because not too many drastic things are happening but it leads into better ones that are coming :3

Henry started targeting Bill more with his bullying. Whenever they’d pass each other in the halls, he would shove the teen against the lockers. This was behavior that was more like Henry. Belch and Victor didn’t mind this type of destructive performance from their leader. It was finally normal. However, Victor did notice that the bullying was centered around Bill. If other losers were in a close radius to Bill they’d also be hit but it was mostly directed at Bill. Victor chose to keep this observation to himself. He tried doing what his friend suggested and stay low. It wasn’t until the end of the day when Henry acted strange again.

 

“Alright, boys,” Henry started as he and the rest of his gang made their way outside. “I want to hear those ideas. Now.”

Belch and Victor gave each other glances. Victor’s heart fell. He hoped Henry had forgotten all about the kid. Patrick looked like he was in deep thought as he tilted his head. “Since he’s small, do you think it would be easier to break his bones?”

 

Henry shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably.”

 

“That would be cool. We could see how many seconds it takes to snap his neck.”

 

Henry nodded slightly, not giving a definite yes or no. He wanted to hear the other options first. “What about you?” He asked Belch. “What do you have in mind?”

 

“Well…” Belch shifted his weight as he talked. “It’s not really a way to kill him, but you know those branding irons they use for cows? I thought we could maybe use that on him…?” Belch’s confidence slowly went down as he talked. Henry always looked mean. He was intimidating as hell. Belch didn’t want to kill the kid. He didn’t even want to brand the kid. But he knew he had to come with some kind of idea. He just hoped it was “brutal” enough to pass Henry and Patrick’s test. Hopefully, they’d find it more amusing than killing him.

 

Patrick didn’t look too impressed with the initial idea but he was probably just waiting to feed off Henry’s response. Henry looked intrigued. “Hmm. Do they brand rabbits?”

 

“They might tag them?” Victor exchanged looks with his friend. “And then release them back into the wild.” They didn’t actually know if that was true but they both hoped that Henry would focus more on the release rather than the tag.

 

“We could brand him _then_ kill him,” Patrick offered. His eyes lit up with the thought of killing the kid.

 

Henry was quiet as he thought about it.

 

Belch could see he was leaning more towards what Patrick had suggested. “Or! We could play a game with it? Every time we catch him we brand him and then let him go. It’s like a game of Tag.”

 

“I do like games,” Henry mumbled. He then turned to Victor. “What’s your idea?”

 

Victor was silent. He didn’t have an idea. He refused to try to come up with one. He glanced to Belch who jumped in to save him. “We actually came up with it together.”

 

“Oh, no. This wasn’t a group assignment. It was _individual_.” Henry’s stare grew colder. “What’s your idea?” He asked again with more force.

 

“I don’t have one.”

 

“Why not?” He snapped.

 

Victor just about had enough. He was tired of all this. He didn’t want to do this anymore. “I don’t to kill him or hurt him. This is going too far. This is planned _murder_. We can’t even call it an accident.”

 

Henry hissed at the word. “No, it’s not. Bunnies are meant to be hunted.”

 

“He’s not a real rabbit! What’s wrong with you?”

 

Patrick and Belch were dead silent as they hashed it out. They didn’t even risk moving. No one has ever challenged Henry before… and lived.

 

“Why are you so bent on this kid?” Victor continued. He didn’t know where his random confidence came from and he didn’t question it in fear of losing it. It was probably all the years of silently following his lead built up to the point of breaking.

“Why are we after this kid? He’s not black. He’s not yellow. He’s _white_. You and me, _white_. He doesn’t even go to this school! He’s like in second or third grade! There is _no_ reason our paths should have ever crossed his. _Why_ are we doing this to him? This isn’t like you, Henry.”

 

Henry allowed him to finish his spill. His face was unchanged and unreadable. “Why are you trying to protect him so much? Are you attached to him _that_ much?”

 

Victor was completely dumbfounded. Did he even hear what he said? He could see that anger was growing quickly in Henry’s face.

“I don’t want to do this… I don’t want to do anything to him.” Victor backed down his voice and demeanor in hopes that Henry wouldn’t get aggressive.

 

“You don’t _want_ to?” He repeated it with venom practically dripping from the words. “Well, we can’t have that! You don’t want to do anything to him? Fine! You don’t have to!”

 

Victor was scared. Did this mean he was going to be killed?

 

“We’ll just split up the jobs so everyone is _happy_.” He pointed a finger at him. “Since you two love each other so much, you’re in charge of getting him.”

 

“Getting…?” He was almost too scared to ask but he needed to know. He didn’t like where this was going.

 

“Yes, you dipshit. Get him to follow you home, tie him down somewhere, then we’ll come over.” He turned to Belch. “You get something to brand him with and you’ll be doing that. I’ll do what I want with the bitch. And you,” He pointed to Patrick. “Can kill him when I’m done. I want his dead body dropped off in the river.”

 

“In pieces or whole?” Patrick asked.

 

Henry waved him off. He was annoyed with everyone around him. “That’s up to you, but you’re the one cleaning up the mess so keep that in mind before you slice and dice him. Everybody clear on what they’re supposed to do?”

 

“How am I supposed to get him to follow me home?” Victor asked sheepishly.

 

“Figure it out!”

 

“But someone is always with him.”

 

“That’s true…” Belch tried to help. He wanted to help get the attention off of his friend.

 

Henry ignored Belch and only focused on Victor. “Don’t worry about that. That’s what we’re for. All you have to do is get bunny to follow you. Bait him, drug him, knock him out; I don’t care. He took a cookie from you so try more food. Tell him he’ll get cake if he follows you home. I don’t care how you get him there I just want him alive when I get to him. Any more questions?” He asked as he looked at them.

 

“Do we get to leave early when our jobs are done?” Asked Belch. He didn’t particularly want to be present for whatever the hell Henry had in store for bunny, and he definitely didn’t want to be there for Patrick to dissect him.

 

Henry smirked. “No. Scared you’ll get caught?”

 

“Can’t we just leave him alone?” Victor pleaded.

 

“Stop being such a pussy about it!” He snapped at him. “Watch yourself before you end up floating down the river with him. Got it?”

 

He nodded.

 

“Good.”

 

 

The school days felt twice as long to the teen now that Henry and his gang were being aggressive towards him. The last thing Bill needed was to have them bothering him. But he supposed as long as they were attacking him they wouldn’t be after Georgie. Bill looked down at his brother while they walked home. He was talking about something but Bill was lost in his own thoughts. He decided he could endure being bullied just as long Georgie was safe.

 

“Billy, are you okay?”

 

“Yeah.” He lied.

 

The truth was that Bill was struggling. He was struggling with so much it felt like it was literally every aspect of his life. He hated being at home and now that Henry was picking on him more he hated to be at school. The teen usually enjoyed being around his brother but now he was too concerned with keeping him out of harm’s way. He hoped things would start getting easier.

 

 

 

The next day at school, Georgie sat alone on the swing set. He yawned, having been kept awake the night before from a nightmare. He was worried about Bill. He could tell that his brother wasn’t telling him everything. He was seeing him change. It made him sad and concerned.

 

“How are you doing that?”

 

Georgie looked up to see a girl standing out of the path of his swinging. Georgie recognized the girl, Lexi, from his class. They’ve never really talked much, she usually stayed with her group of friends, but whenever they would she was always super sweet. Lexi had long, honey blonde hair and blue-green marble eyes. He blinked, not knowing what she was talking about. She pointed to his feet, which were crossed at the ankles. She was referring to how he was able to swing without using his feet.

 

“Oh.” Georgie glanced back at the clown that gently pushed him. Sometimes he forgot that no one else could see him. Pennywise grinned at him.

 

“Is it magic?”

 

Georgie bit his lip and shook his head.

 

“Can you teach me?”

 

The boy hesitated.

_“Go on,”_ Pennywise encouraged.

 

Georgie held out his hand to her. The clown laughed when she grabbed it. She sat on the swing next to him and held his hand as they both started moving on the swings. Lexi smiled, not being able to notice that a clown was pushing them. After a while, she jumped off.

“Let’s play Shame!” She suggested after getting off the swings. Georgie followed her over to the grass where they sat across from each other to play. They placed their hands together and swung them side to side as they chanted in unison.

“Shame, shame, shame.” They each clapped a hand, leaving the back of their left hands pressed together. They clapped above theirs hands that stayed in the middle first then went down, clapping with every syllable.

“I don’t wannna go to Mexico no more, more, more.” When they repeated a word multiple times they clapped in the same place, which was the middle.

“There’s a big, fat gorilla at the door, door, door. He’ll grab you by the collar till you give him a dollar. I don’t wanna go to Mexico no more, more, more.” At the end, they sped up to try to tag the other first once they finished. They laughed but before they could start again, the bell rang that ended recess. While they were lining up, Lexi didn’t see her best friend that was also her lunch buddy. She frowned then turned to Georgie.

“Want to sit with me at lunch?”

 

“Okay.” He tried his best to give her a smile but it was difficult to do. He saw why her friend disappeared. The boy sent a quick gaze over to the clown before following her inside.

 

 

 

Bill now felt on edge during the entire school day. He didn’t know when or where Henry and his gang would strike next. It didn’t help that none of the teachers seemed to care but it’s not like they ever did. The teen found himself checking the clock more and more. He wanted to get out of school but he didn’t want to go home either. He was stuck. It didn’t seem to matter where he was; everything sucked.

 

“Lighten up, Bill.” Richie told him as they all sat at their lunch table. Bill didn’t feel like responding. He didn’t have the energy to justify why he felt so bad.

“Why do you love your brother so much, Bill?” Henry teased as he walked to another lunch table. “Trying to turn the little whore into a faggot since he’s the only one that’ll ever love you?”

Henry spoke loud enough so that others would hear him. Other students snickered and stared at Bill. Some whispered to each other making their own assumptions. Victor didn’t find it very funny.

 

Eddie scrunched up his face. “I wouldn’t call him a whore... He’s a kid.”

 

“You say something, Loser?” Henry challenged.

 

Eddie didn’t say anything else.

 

Bill didn’t bother looking up, he just ignored the burning stares from other people as he messed with his lunch. The other losers frowned, also staying quiet. They all felt bad for not sticking up for Bill but none of them knew what to say back.

 

When the bell sounded to end lunch, Bill went to throw his tray away. He barely ate any of the food. He waited for his turn at the trash bin when Henry came by and poured a carton of milk over his head.

“I always knew you were a faggot but not for your own brother.” He smirked, bouncing the carton off his head and into the floor. Henry gave a look to Belch and Victor which signaled them to grab Bill and toss him head-first into the trash bin. Just before he was dropped in, Victor whispered an apology that was barely audible. Henry kicked over the bin; it toppling over onto its side with a thud. The teen crawled out and rushed to leave, completely ignoring all the laughs that followed him.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Stan frowned at the Bowers’ Gang before going to follow Bill. He stepped into the bathroom to find Bill at the sink, trying to clean himself off.  

“You okay?” He asked, handing him some more paper towels. 

 

"Just p-peachy." Bill huffed as he tried washing off the spilt milk on him. 

 

Stan helped as much as he could without overstepping his boundaries. He tossed away the used napkins.

 

“Those guys are assholes.” He tried to console him. He understood it was a stretch to attempt to get Bill to talk about it, but being thrown in the trash isn’t exactly something that should be ignored. The other teen didn’t answer him as he continued to fix himself.

"You don't have to close yourself off. You can talk to me." 

 

"T-There's n-nothing to talk about." He was being short, preferring to be left alone. He didn't want to talk about anything and he _definitely_ didn't want to go back out there. He wouldn't even make eye contact with the mirror. 

_I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of bed today..._

 

He wasn't able to do much about his clothes being soak or the fact he now smelled like milk and other food. He just sighed and tossed the remaining napkins away before making his way to the door.

 

"Bill..." 

 

"D-Don't hang around me t-too much, you might b-be gay too." He rolled his eyes bitterly as he swung open the door, not waiting for Stan to follow. 

 

His friend sighed, not knowing how to help.

 

 

At the end of the day Bill stood hand-in-hand with his brother as he talked with his friends before leaving. Georgie looked over and quickly dropped Bill’s hand. The teen looked down at him, wondering why he let go of his hand. Just before he could ask, Georgie started walking towards the reason. Lexi smiled brightly. She was holding something. They both exchanged a small ‘hey’.

 

Back where Bill was, the losers all watched. Beverly covered her mouth to hide her smile. “Awww!”

 

“That’s the cutest fucking thing ever,” Richie mumbled. “They’re so tiny…”

 

“I hope they get married and have ten kids,” Eddie declared. Bill narrowed his eyes at him.

 

Stan nudged Bill lightly. “Looks like Georgie has a little girlfriend.”

The other teen didn’t respond. He didn’t know how he felt about this. He wasn’t expecting it.

 

Richie smirked at him. “Jealous he got a girlfriend before you?”

 

“He got a girlfriend before _you_!” Eddie countered.

 

“Shut up!”

 

 

“I forgot to give this to you earlier.” She handed the card over to him. “My birthday party is Saturday. I want you to come.”

 

“Okay!” Georgie looked over the invitation. He’d never been invited to someone’s party before.

 

“I’m turning eight!”

 

“Cool!”

 

“Lexi!”

 

She turned her head to see who was calling her. It was her sister.

“I have to go now,” she told Georgie. The girl waved at him before leaving. “Bye!”

 

“Bye!” Georgie waved back. He watched her run over to her older sister. She took her hand before crossing the street with her. The boy returned to his brother and looked up at his friends who were all smiling at him.

He blinked. “What?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the original nursery rhyme lyric is "policeman" and not "gorilla" but when I was little and played this game I've only heard "gorilla" so that's why I kept it that way :3


	13. Baby Don't Lie

“So?” Eddie asked the boy. “When’s the wedding?”

 

Bill narrowed his eyes at his friend. “S-Stop.”

 

“What? This is going to happen, Bill! It’s time to face reality!”

 

He rolled his eyes. “Over my d-dead body…”

 

Eddie smirked. “Hear that, Georgie? Bill’s gonna have to be in the ground before you can get hitched!”

 

The boy blinked, not really understanding what he was talking about. He didn’t want his brother to be in the ground.

 

“Her sister is really hot,” Richie commented.

 

“Yeah! What’s her name?” Asked Eddie.

 

“I think it’s Brandy,” Stan mumbled. “Isn’t she a senior?”

 

“I think so.”

 

Bill sighed and took Georgie by the hand so they could walk home. “I’ll s-see you guys later,” he told his friends.

On their way home, Georgie looked up at him. “You smell like milk,” He said bluntly.

 

“I d-don’t want to t-talk about it,” the teen mumbled. He then looked over at Georgie. “So, y-you and Lexi, huh?”

 

“I don’t want to talk about it,” he mimicked.

 

Bill laughed. “S-She’s cute.”

 

“I guess…” Georgie glanced off to the side, a slight pink dusting his cheeks.

 

Bill smiled at him. He wasn’t particularly excited for Georgie to be growing up but he couldn’t do much about it. He wished he could.

“D-Don’t grow up,” he pleaded softly.

 

 

 

 

“Hey, Bill!”

 

The teen jumped and knocked into his locker door. He looked to see who called him then sighed with relief. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice anyone come up to him. The whole day had been nothing but a blur. Beverly smiled as she leaned against neighboring lockers.

“Y-You scared me...”

 

“Henry’s not around,” she ensured with a smirk then handed over a flier. “But look what I found.”

 

Bill took the flier and read it. It was a cast call for the school’s play. It didn’t specify what the play would be. It was a surprise.

 

Beverly grinned with excitement. “The tryouts are this Saturday. You should go! I’ll even go with you. Who knows? We might even get the lead roles again.”

 

“I d-don’t know…” The teen returned the flier to her. “P-Practice would be a-after school and I-I don’t know who’d w-watch Georgie…”

 

Beverly nodded slowly as she looked over the flier. “Could your parents get off work to watch him?” She asked. “It’ll only be until the play.”

 

“M-Mom wouldn’t be able to st-stay with him the wh-whole week, a-and I don’t want d-dad to watch him.” He closed his locker door with an attempt at a smile. “Th-Thanks but I don’t think it’s a g-good idea.”

 

“Well…” Beverly could see that Bill wanted to do the play. Even though he tried to hide it, Beverly saw the slight glimmer in his eyes. “At least go to the tryouts. Georgie will be at his girlfriend’s birthday party-“

 

“Th-They’re not b-boyfriend and girlfriend.”

 

“How do you know?”

 

“They’re s-seven! _Th-They_ don’t even know!”

 

Beverly laughed. “Okay, okay. Georgie will be at his _friend’s_ birthday party on Saturday. So, that means you’ll be free.”

 

“I c-could go with him.”

 

“Bill, you cannot go with him to that party. That’s not okay.” She smirked at his eye roll. “He’s going to be fine. You don’t have to worry about him. He’ll be at a birthday party for Christ’s sake! What could happen?”

 

“Wh-What if it’s not s-supervised?”

 

“Bill.”

 

“What if th-they play in the street and… and-“

 

“Bill,” she placed a hand on his shoulder. “You worry too much. What is it that _you_ want?” Her smile faded into a serious look. “You have to take care of you first. How can you take care of Georgie if you’re a mess?” She gave him a small smile and handed the flier back to him. “Just think about it.”

 

The teen sighed as he looked at the flier again. He didn’t know what to do. Yes, he wanted to do the play. Badly. He was curious what the play was going to be. But what about Georgie? He doubted that he would be able to stay during rehearsals. The boy would probably be bored. Bill groaned and glanced up at the ceiling as he heard rain start to pour down. He retrieved his jacket from his locker and folded the flier in his jacket pocket before heading outside to wait for Georgie.

 

 

The boy stepped up to the glass doors, placing his hands against it as he looked out at the rain.

“Aw… I don’t have my jacket…”

 

The clown behind him smirked. “Sucks to be you.”

 

Georgie sighed, ignoring his follower’s comment as he tried to look on the brighter side. “I mean, it’s not raining _that_ bad.” Just as he finished his statement, it became pouring down sheets of rain. The fog and rain was so intense, it was difficult to see far off. Georgie let his forehead hit the glass with a light thud. Pennywise cackled. 

“You know, they say it’s lucky to have a rabbit’s foot. But you don’t seem to be lucky at all, huh?” He asked with a chuckle.

 

The boy glanced up at him. “You’re talkative today,” he mumbled.

 

The clown gave a simple shrug. “I’m in a good mood.”

 

Georgie didn’t want to know why. With a sigh, he pushed open the door and stepped outside underneath the awning. Other kids outside were waiting by the carpool for their parents or older siblings to pick them up. The boy watched how hard the rain was coming down and encouraged himself that it wasn’t _that_ far to the high school. He took a breath and stepped out from the awning, expecting to be soaked in an instant. When he didn’t feel a single drop on him, he glanced up. The clown held up an umbrella that covered Georgie. The boy took a moment to watch him. He wondered why he did that. Pennywise didn’t make eye contact with him as he was looking out. He was getting rained on.

 

“You sure you’re not magic?”

 

Georgie turned around to find Lexi under the awning. The boy blushed slightly. He couldn’t really think of how to respond. Luckily, he didn’t have to. Lexi’s older sister arrived to pick her up just in time. They exchanged a happy wave as she got into her sister’s car to leave. Georgie watched her leave before he started walking along the sidewalk to get to the high school. As he got closer and saw Bill, he ran out from underneath Pennywise’s protection. The rain soaked him almost instantly as he ran into Bill’s arms. The teen wrapped his jacket around Georgie and picked him up. He rushed home as fast as he could. The boy draped the jacket over the both of them so they wouldn’t get rained on more than they had to. Finally, the boys got home before it started to thunder. Bill set his brother down and glanced back outside. It was getting worse with the wind picking up. The teen returned his attention to Georgie who was shivering from the cold rain. He sighed softly and took him to change clothes.

 

“It’s raining really bad,” the boy mumbled once he was switched into dry clothes. He followed his brother downstairs.

 

“I-It’ll be okay.” Bill was more focused on if he was going to go to that cast call rather than the weather. He wondered how he could tell Georgie. For now, he decided to just put it off. He had time.

“D-Do you want h-hot chocolate?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

 

 

Before Bill knew it, it was already Friday afternoon. He was going to have to bring up the play somehow. The teen was pulled out of his thoughts when Georgie tugged him by the arm. “Let me ride you!”

 

“Wh-What?”

 

The boy pointed to his brother’s shoulders. “I want up there.”

 

Bill gave a tired smile before allowing Georgie to climb on his shoulders. When he stood straight up, he held onto the boy’s legs. “H-Happy now?”

 

“Yes.” Georgie looked around the neighborhood from his new perspective. He liked it. He felt like he could see more. “Is this what it’s like to be tall?”

 

The teen smirked as he started to walk around. “P-Pretty much. How d-do you feel?”

 

“Powerful.”

 

He laughed. “C-Calm down, k-killer.”

 

The smile on Georgie’s face faded away as he focused on the name he was called. He knew Bill said it teasingly but he also felt like he was one. The teen wasn’t able to see that his brother was upset but he could tell something was off when he wasn’t saying anymore. Something caught Georgie’s eye just when Bill glanced up at him.

“Let’s play a game.” The boy untangled his hands from Bill’s hair to cover the teen’s eyes. “Let me be your eyes! I’ll tell you where to go.”

 

Bill wasn’t very comfortable with this game. He liked being able to see. it didn’t feel as safe to not being able to see. “I d-don’t know, G-Georgie…”

 

The younger brother didn’t respond at first. He was looking over across the street where the clown had found his next victim. He didn’t want Bill to see. Pennywise waved at him with blood on his hands. Georgie quickly looked away, not feeling very good. He looked down at Bill.

“Come on! Turn left.” He wanted to go somewhere else. Anywhere else.

 

Bill hesitated, not wanting to move since he couldn’t see. Georgie had to ask again before he would budge.

 

“Go straight.”

 

The teen cautiously and slowly moved forward. He didn’t know what about it made him so uneasy. Georgie continued to guide him down the sidewalk. He didn’t have any particular place in mind to go; he was just going as far as Bill would take him.

“Stop.” He waited for Bill to obey before he gave the next command. “There’s a step down.”

 

“W-We can’t g-go in the st-street, Georgie.”

 

“Do you trust me?”

 

“G-Georgie…”

 

“I looked both ways! Just trust me.”

 

Bill wasn’t convinced. “Th-This seems d-dangerous.”

 

“It’ll be okay! Besides, if we get hit we’ll be hit together.”

 

“That… d-doesn’t make me f-feel better…” Now Bill _really_ had a bad feeling about this.

 

“I’d trust you.”

 

For some reason Bill had a difficult time believing that. He couldn’t help but to feel distant from Georgie. But now wasn’t the time or place to bring it up. He took a deep, shaky breath before taking a step down. He paused until he heard Georgie tell him to move. The teen was scared as he crossed the road. He didn’t want to rush, in fear he’d trip. The road seemed twice as long without sight.

 

“Step up.”

 

Bill exhaled once he reached the sidewalk again. He had been holding his breath.

“I d-don’t want to do th-that again.”

 

Georgie smiled and uncovered his eyes to play with his hair. “You don’t have to.” He was glad that Bill was able to trust him to cross the street. He knew it made his brother uncomfortable and he hated he had to test him like that but he had to. He needed to know Bill was on his side. He needed to know Bill would stay on his side. “We can go home now!”

 

Bill sighed and looked around to figure out just where they wandered off to. Once he regained his bearings, he headed for home.

“I n-need to tell you s-something.”

 

“What?”

 

He took another breath. Now would be as good of a time as any. “So, at m-my school th-they’re doing an open au-audition f-for a play.”

 

“What’s that mean?”

 

“I-It means a-anyone can sh-show up to tr-tryout f-for a part in th-the play.”

 

“Are you going to do it?”

 

“I’m th-thinking about it.” Bill bit his lip. He didn’t know what to say next. He wasn’t able to see Georgie’s face to read him.

 

“Do you want to do it?”

 

Bill thought about it. “K-Kinda… But i-if I g-get a part th-that would mean I’d have to st-stay for practice after s-school…”

 

“Could I stay with you at practice?”

 

“I d-don’t know if th-they will allow that…”

 

Georgie frowned. “Could I stay with Beverly?”

 

“Sh-She might also g-get a part.”

 

“Then what am I supposed to do?” Georgie didn’t like this. He didn’t want to be separated from Bill. He didn’t want to be abandoned and forgotten.

 

“I’m st-still trying to f-figure that out…” They were both silent for a few moments. “I w-won’t d-do it if you don’t w-want me to.”

 

“You can do it. It’s fine.” He lied.

 

Bill frowned. He wasn’t convinced by his tone. “…W-Would you tell me if it wasn’t?”

 

Georgie didn’t say anything else. The silence only killed Bill further. When they returned to their house, Georgie slid off his brother’s back.

“Ar-Are we okay?” Bill asked him.

 

“Yeah.” He walked passed him to get inside. Bill followed him.

 

“It d-doesn’t feel like w-we’re okay.”

 

Georgie didn’t really know how to respond. He wasn’t okay with it but that wasn’t the only reason he didn’t feel like talking. He wanted to tell Bill about the killings but he didn’t want to lose his arm. The more he was around Bill, the more he wanted to tell him everything so he could help. Georgie wanted to be saved from this. He just didn’t know how. The boy was surprised a bit when his brother hugged him.

“I w-want us to b-be okay…”

 

“We’re okay.”

Neither of them were sure.

 

 

Saturday came faster than either of the brothers were ready for. Bill was still battling with himself on going to the auditions, and Georgie was scared to see more deaths. As long as Pennywise wasn’t with him then he wouldn’t have too much to worry about. But a bad feeling told him the clown was going to tag along.

Georgie clung to Bill’s hand as they walked to Lexi’s house. Neither of them really spoke; they were both caught up in their own thoughts. They slowed to a stop when they reached her house. Bill kept holding his brother’s hand. Georgie looked up at him.

“You can let go now.”

 

Bill smiled slightly, still keeping his hand. “You s-sure you wanna g-go to this? W-We could go h-home and watch tv.”

 

Georgie weighed his options. If he left now, then he knew no one would get killed. Before he could make his decision, he saw Lexi open the gate to her backyard.

“Georgie!”

 

“I’ll stay.”

 

Bill sighed with a smirk. “Okay. I-If you n-need me just-“

 

“Okay, bye!” Georgie let go of his hand and ran over to meet Lexi.

 

“C-Call me…” Bill was left alone on the sidewalk to finish his sentence. He sighed and turned to go home. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do for the remainder of the day. The teen debated on going to the school for the tryouts. After a while of convincing, he turned and headed that way. He just had to let loose for once. Everything was going to be fine.

 

 

“Happy birthday,” Georgie told Lexi happily. He forgot all about his previous worries and concerns.

 

“Thanks!” The girl smiled and led her friend into the backyard where the party was. Lexi’s hair was pulled into a high ponytail that curled into a spiral. A vivid yellow bow was attached to the band. Her dress was white with yellow flowers that matched her bow. She took him over to the table that had her cake. “This is my cake!” The cake was white and decorated with yellow blobs of icing in the shapes of flowers. Georgie was noticing a theme.

 

“Cool!”

 

“It’s vanilla! But mom says we can’t eat it until later.”

 

Georgie glanced around the yard. There were a bunch of kids that he didn’t recognize. There were only a few from their class that was invited. That made Georgie feel special he made the list.

“We should all play hide and seek!” Lexi announced excitedly. Georgie followed as the rest of the kids gathered around to try to figure out who would be the one to seek.

A kid that Georgie didn’t know looked up and smiled at the newcomer, pointing. “Hey, look! A clown!” Other kids looked and were pleasantly surprised. Georgie flinched at the word but tried to reason with himself before turning around. All his fears came true as he saw Pennywise standing there but no one else.

“Wait… You guys can see him, too?” He asked, hoping this wasn’t happening.

 

“Duh!” One kid responded. “What’s the matter? You’re not scared of clowns, are you?”

 

“Leave him alone, Derek! No one likes you,” Lexi stuck her tongue out at the other kid who glared at her.

 

Georgie ignored them and walked up to Pennywise. “Others can see you?” He asked in a whisper as his heart skipped a beat.

 

“If I allow it.” He grinned widely at him. “Happy to see me?”

 

Georgie was terrified. “So, you are real…” The boy knew he was real but a part of him kind of hoped that he and Bill were just crazy. All this did was validate Georgie’s fears. Georgie wished Bill was with him. He needed him. He needed anyone.

“Go away,” he said as he swatted at the clown.

 

Pennywise chuckled. “ _Rude._ ”

 

“Why are you here?!”

 

“It’s a birthday party. Why wouldn’t I be here?”

 

Georgie made a dying sound. He turned his attention back to the group of kids when Lexi called him over.

“Come on, Georgie! We need to figure out who’s gonna be It!”

 

“I can be It,” Pennywise suggested much to Georgie’s horror. Georgie seemed to be the only one who was freaking out.

 

“Okay! Close your eyes and count to 10!”

 

Pennywise grinned and shut his eyes, slowly counting. The kids all giggled and scattered around the backyard to find a place to hide. There weren’t that many places so kids had to double up under tables and behind trees. Georgie grabbed Lexi’s hand and dragged her around the clown to get to the gate. He had to get her out of there. He shut the gate behind them and quickly wondered where they could go. Pennywise’s grin only grew wider as he knew Georgie left with Lexi. He knew where all the kids ran off to. When he counted to 5, he uncovered his eyes. He morphed into something more nightmarish with each consecutive number.

 

 

“Are we going to hide out here?” Lexi asked.

 

“Um… Sure but first I have to give you your present.” He lied. He wasn’t going to feel safe until they were further away.

 

“Ooo, present! What is it?”

 

Georgie bit his lip, leading her by the hand down the street. Now he had to come up with something to give her as a present.

“Wanna race?”

 

“Okay!” Lexi giggled as she started running first. Georgie smiled and was quick behind her. They ran down the sidewalk, away from the screams that were sure to come.

 

 

 

When Bill arrived at the school, he was only half expecting to find Beverly there. He was glad that she was there. It made him feel better about being there.

“Bill!” She smiled and waved him over. “I’m glad you decided to come.”

 

“Y-Yeah,” Bill smiled. He couldn’t help but to feel excited as he walked with her to the auditorium. When they walked in, there were plenty of other students. They were mostly all from the drama class or the drama club; both something Bill wished he was a part of. The teacher welcomed them and handed them each a script of the pay. He was just about to go over the play and assign parts for people. They’d do a read-through first and make adjustments to people as needed.

 

 

 

 

Once they ran out of breath, the kids stopped running.

“You win,” Georgie panted. He didn’t necessarily want to beat Lexi at the race anyways. It made her happy.

 

“I’m tired.” She frowned a bit, sitting down on the sidewalk to rest. Before Georgie sat next to her, he spotted a gift for her. He quickly went over into someone’s yard and plucked a purple and pink flower from their garden.

 

“Look!” Georgie ran back over to Lexi and offered the flower to her. “For you.”

 

Lexi’s eyes lit up, her not noticing that the yard they sat in front of was now missing a flower. “It’s so pretty!!” She held it carefully and smelled it. Georgie smiled. He was glad that she liked it. They sat together for a while until Lexi stood back up. “We need to get back to my party.”

 

Georgie didn’t really want to but he wasn’t going to protest. “Okay…”

They decided to walk back this time instead of race; holding each other’s hand. Georgie was worried about what they may find if they returned to her yard. He really hoped that no one would be dead. Lexi was the first to walk in her gate, with Georgie close behind. She was expecting to find everyone out and playing.

“Hey… Where is everyone? The clown’s gone too.”

 

Georgie didn’t respond at first. “...Maybe they’re still hiding?”

 

Lexi looked around the yard but wasn’t able to find anyone. “Did they go home?”

 

“Maybe…” The boy tried to think of a way to distract her. “That leaves more cake.”

 

Lexi gasped, remembering her cake.

“Yeah!” She ran over to the table. “It’s later now! We can probably eat it.”

Lexi sat down at the table and Georgie sat next to her. The cake wasn’t cut and they didn’t have any way to cut it themselves so Georgie just stuck his hand in it. Lexi giggled and did the same, eating the cake off of her hand.

 

A while later, Lexi’s mom came outside. She was surprised to find the yard empty except for two. “Lexi?”

 

The girl looked up. “Yeah, mom?” She and Georgie were playing in the grass.

 

“Where did everyone go?” Her mom asked as she looked around. She frowned when she found the cake already attacked. She sighed heavily then frowned at the two of them. “Lexi… Don’t sit in the grass, you’ll get your dress all dirty.” It was a little late for that. There was already dirt and cake on it. She sighed again as she picked up her daughter.

 

“G-Georgie.”

The boy looked over at his brother who stood by the gate. “Y-You ready to go?”

 

“Yeah!” Georgie got up and waved at Lexi.

She smiled at him. “Bye, Georgie!”

 

Georgie ran over to Bill and clung to him once they left her yard. Bill smiled a bit at him. “D-Did you have f-fun?”

 

“I don’t want to do that again.”

 

The teen smirked and fixed his messy hair.

“Y-You don’t have to.”


	14. Asthenia

That evening, Bill answered a knock that come to their door. It was Officer Bowers. Before he could say his greeting, the teen asked his question.

“D-Did you f-find th-that guy yet?”

 

The officer blinked as he remembered who Bill was talking about. “Ah, the intruder. No, I haven’t found him yet.”

 

“Are y-y-you even looking?” Bill asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

Oscar smiled at him. “I’m doing the best I can. But I do need to speak with Georgie.”

 

“Wh-What for?”

 

“It’s about the party he went to today.”

 

“L-Lexi’s?”

 

Georgie silently made his way beside his brother, curious about who was at the door. He looked up at the officer that smiled at him.

 

“Hello, Georgie.”

 

“Hello!”

 

“I just came from Lexi’s house. Have you heard anything from the other kids who were at her party? Have you talked to them since the party?”

 

The boy shook his head and started squeezing his hands nervously.

 

“Wh-What happened t-to th-the other kids?” Bill asked, wanting to know what was going on.

 

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. It appears that they’ve all disappeared. Their parents came to pick them up and none of them were there. No one has seen where any of them went.” Oscar watched Georgie’s nervous behavior. “The interesting thing that Lexi told me was there was a clown that showed up at the party. The description was awfully similar to the one you gave me.” He looked at Bill. “So, maybe there is a clown roaming around.” He returned his eyes to the youngest sibling. “Georgie, Lexi told me that you went over to talk to him. What did you say?”

 

Georgie stopped making eye contact a while ago. He was reluctant to speak but finally mumbled a response. “…I asked why he was there…”

 

“What did he tell you?”

 

He shrugged. “That it was a party.”

 

Oscar waited to see if he would say any more. When he didn’t, he looked over at Bill. The teen looked distraught. The officer was more curious about Georgie’s change of mood.

“Lexi also told me that you two left the party, leaving the clown with the other kids.”

 

Georgie didn’t respond.

 

“Why did you leave?”

 

He only shrugged at first. “…To get her birthday present… then we came right back.”  Georgie felt close to crying. He didn’t want to be questioned anymore.

 

“When you got back, was there anyone still in the backyard?”

 

“…No…”

 

“Not even the clown?”

 

He shook his head.

 

“Did you find it odd that everyone was gone?”

 

Georgie only made a slight noise.

 

Oscar could see he wouldn’t get much more out of him. “Alright. Thank you for answering my questions.”

 

Georgie didn’t say anything. He just quickly left to go back inside.

 

The officer looked at Bill. “How has everything here been?”

 

“Fine. Y-You done?” He asked, ready to close the door so he could find Georgie.

 

He sighed. “Yes.”

 

 

Bill shut the door and headed straight for Georgie’s room where he found him on the bed. The teen was hurt and confused by it all. He shut his brother’s door behind him.

“P-Pennywise was at th-the p-party?!”

 

Georgie wouldn’t even look at Bill. The teen sighed heavily as he sat next to his brother on the bed.

“A-Are you r-really not going to t-t-tell me?”

 

The boy was completely unable to open his mouth.

 

“Georgie…”

 

“Yes… He was there…”

 

“Others s-s-saw him too?”

 

He nodded. That was all he was going to say about it. Bill frowned at him. He didn’t want to force his brother to talk. He shouldn’t have to do that. Bill sighed and got up to leave. He couldn’t handle this at the moment.

He padded his way over to the bathroom. He felt sick. Bill wasn’t okay. It was difficult for him to even describe how he felt. Everything felt heavy; his head, his chest. He felt physically sick, but he knew he wasn’t. He knew it was just his mind. He knew he was just depressed. The teen groaned and sat on the edge of the bathtub, holding his face in his hands. Why was Georgie being so distant with him? Bill just wanted it all to end. He contemplated what he could do.

 

Georgie felt terrible. He didn’t want his brother to be upset with him. The boy went back and forth on deciding if he should tell him. Maybe it would be best if he did tell Bill. Georgie first checked Bill’s room but didn’t find him there. He whined as he searched around, finally coming by the bathroom that was partially closed.

“Billy?” Georgie asked softly, opening the door a little wider so he could slide in. “Are you okay?”

 

The teen sighed, reluctantly lifting his head up. He didn’t have the energy to fake a happy, or even a neutral, mood as he looked at his brother.

“Yeah…” He lied.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Oh, y-you know. Th-Thinking about m-making t-t-toast in the b-bath.” Bill tried to say it in a playful manner but he was more serious.

 

The boy blinked, a confused look on his face. “Wouldn’t the toast get wet?” Georgie didn’t understand the deeper meaning behind it.

 

Bill gave him a small, pained smile. “J-Just l-leave, Georgie.”

 

“But I have to tell you something!” Georgie wasn’t able to hide it anymore. Especially with how bad Bill seemed. “It’s really important!”

 

“C-Can it wait, G-Georgie?” Bill needed to lie down. The teen sighed heavily and sunk himself down into the tub. He swung his legs over the edge into the tub and curled up the best he could. Georgie frowned and crawled into the tub with Bill, settling on to him. He bit his lip. He didn’t really want to wait to tell him.

_“Are you sure you want to tell him? Is it really worth losing an arm over?”_

 

The boy blinked as he listened to Pennywise’s voice in his head.

 _“After all, is Bill even telling you everything? Why should you tell him anything when he doesn’t confide in you?_ _It doesn’t seem to me like it’s worth it. Bill hasn’t been telling you everything so why should you lose an arm for him? You shouldn’t. What he doesn’t know won’t kill him. You’ll feel every bit of it, you know. It’ll hurt. You’ll feel every thread of your skin breaking and it won’t be quick. There’s no need to go through that for him.”_

 

Georgie made a small noise as he closed his eyes and nuzzled into Bill’s chest. He didn’t know what to do. After a while, Georgie managed to fall sleep. Being in the bathtub wasn’t the most comfortable place to sleep but Bill made a nice cushion. The teen didn’t have the same comfort as Georgie but he was exhausted to the point that it didn’t matter where he was. He just needed rest.

 

They slept for a while until Georgie felt liquid start to cover his foot. He slowly blinked awake, taking a moment to remember where he was. Once he gathered his surroundings, he looked down to discover blood was filling the tub. He yelped in surprise and scooted further on Bill to get away from it.

“Bill!” He looked at his brother but he was still fast asleep. Georgie whined and watched the faucet pour blood at an alarming rate. It was going to fill the entire tub eventually. The boy didn’t want to get blood all over him but he had to try to stop it. He leaned over and fiddled with the faucet knobs but nothing was working. Georgie was scared. The blood was rising and Bill was still asleep. Georgie tugged on his brother’s shirt to try to pull him up so the blood wouldn’t be able to drown him. He didn’t even budge him.

“Wake up, Bill!!” The youngest was beginning to get panicked. He tried his hardest to move him. “I can’t lift you!” Georgie didn’t know what to do. He tried shoveling the blood away from him and using himself as a barricade. It wasn’t working.

“Pennywise…?” He called on the only other one he felt he could. “I need you!”

 

“You’re calling on me now?” The clown smirked.

 

“Yes! Help!”

 

Pennywise hummed as he analyzed the situation. “You’re in no danger. I’m not obligated to do anything about Bill.”

 

“Then how do I wake him up?!”

 

“Just cover his nose and mouth.”

 

“Really?” That sounded like an odd solution but Georgie needed to act fast.

 

“Sure. If he can’t breathe he’ll have to wake up.”

 

The boy chewed his lip as he brought up a bloodied hand and covered Bill’s nose and mouth. He held it there until he heard Pennywise laugh loudly. He quickly withdrew his hand and looked over at the clown. “What?!”

 

“You’re such an idiot!” He laughed. “You’re going to suffocate your own brother!”

 

If looks could kill, Pennywise would be dead in an instant from the glare Georgie was giving him. The clown’s laughter was put to an end and he cleared his throat, turning to leave. “Well, you have things covered here.”

 

Georgie sighed loudly out of frustration as he continued to call his brother’s name and get him up.

 

 

It felt like Bill entered a dream the moment he drifted off into sleep. It was dark but he could still see. He blinked as he looked around. He was standing in an overgrown wheat field that seemed to stretch on forever in every direction. An ominous house loomed in the background. It was nighttime but no stars were able to shine. The teen didn’t recognize where he was. Bill looked down at his brother who tugged on his hoodie.

“Play with me!” Georgie demanded before running off into the field.

 

“Georgie! Wait!” Bill ran after him, still trying to comprehend what was happening. The field abruptly ended as the boy dashed into the middle of a wide, dirt road. Georgie stopped in the center and waited for his brother. Bill was hesitant when he reached the edge. He checked both ways before going to get the younger boy, his hand extended for him to grab.

“We can’t play in the road, Georgie.”

 

The boy didn’t meet his brother’s hand. Instead, he simply smiled at him.

“Let’s play Deer in Headlights!” The boy quickly used a flashlight he was now holding to shine Bill’s eyes. The teen flinched back from the bright light. He didn’t remember his brother holding a flashlight earlier. Georgie laughed and ran off again. “Run, Deer!”

 

Bill blinked multiple times but light spots continued to cloud his vision. He saw his brother run but he felt too disoriented to run after him. “Georgie!”

 

“You’ll get hit! If you die, you lose!”

 

The teen wasn’t about to risk anything since he was in the middle of the road so he forced himself to move. “Georgie, wait!” He tried to follow Georgie’s path but smacked face-first into a tree. Bill placed his hands against it to not lose balance. It was an awkward slide-change that Bill wasn’t fully aware of. He was at the edge of a thick forest.

 

The younger boy laughed, stepping next to his brother. “I have a better game idea!”

 

Bill rubbed his eyes and blinked until his vision was normal. “I don’t know about all these games, Georgie. We need to figure out where we are so we can get home.”

 

Georgie chose to ignore his request on heading for home. “I’ll be the rabbit; you be the buck!”

 

“Huh?”

 

“If you get hunted, you lose! The first one home wins!” The boy didn’t wait for a response before he bolted again into the forest.

 

“But where _is_ home?!” Bill didn’t wait long to follow him. He had to keep up with him.

 

“Remember! You die; you lose!”

 

Bill wasn’t able to respond for some reason. It was as if his voice didn’t work. Another awkward transition in slides occurred. Instead of it already being night time, the sky was pink. The sun was setting quickly but it was still light out enough to see. Instead of Bill seeing his brother run ahead of him, he now saw a small, brown rabbit. None of this clicked as being odd for him. It also didn’t strike as out of place that he was now a deer. All that was in Bill’s mind was to keep up with Georgie. He had to keep him in sight. The rabbit was small and fast but luckily Bill was also quick.

Georgie slipped underneath a fallen tree but Bill had to leap over it. He shook his head when his antlers got caught on some brush. He locked his eyes on the rabbit once more. Bill had to time the landing of his hooves with the kick-off of Georgie’s leap just to have a chance to not lose rhythm and speed. If he lost sight of him, he may not be able to find him again. This fear fueled his running. The environment around him blurred as if it was difficult for the projector to keep up. No matter how fast he ran, he couldn’t seem to get passed Georgie’s heels. He was always behind. It made him uneasy that he wasn’t as close as he wanted to be. He wanted to run with Georgie; not race after him.

Bill only took his eyes off the rabbit for a moment when he heard a bark at his feet. A red fox barked again and tried to snap at his hooves. He was highly aggressive. Bill avoided his teeth with a jump from fright but quickly changed to anger as he tried to stomp down on him. The fox moved away from him just in time. When Bill returned his focus to in front of him, he didn’t see the rabbit anymore. He felt panic as his eyes searched harder for him. The fox ran ahead of him, barking. Bill heard more barks further ahead which made him worry. He followed the fox into a clearing. On the opposite side of the field was Georgie. That’s where the fox was heading. Bill ran as hard as he could but for some reason the fox was faster. Just before Georgie reached the end of the field, a few more foxes came out to block his path. One of them was aggressive towards Georgie but the leader, the one who had attempted to attack Bill, fought him off. The other two foxes ran to keep the rabbit cornered but neither of them were as violent as the other two. They seemed timid like they didn’t want to be there. Bill had only just passed the middle of the large field by this point. He couldn’t understand how the fox he was running after was able to speed ahead so much. He ran straight for Georgie, but before he could reach him the leader fox pounced on the rabbit. He opened his mouth, showing teeth larger than they should be, and chomped the rabbit’s entire head. He gave a quick, violent shake to snap the rabbit’s neck. The other fox came around to bite the rabbit’s body. The two of them tore the rabbit up as they fought each other over it. The other two foxes didn’t join in. They continued to shrink back, their tails pressed against their legs. They were the first to run when another bark was heard. It was the bark of a dog.

Bill stopped his running suddenly when the dog jumped out onto one of the foxes. He wasn’t sure which one it was since they were in such a tangle. The other one got away unharmed, carrying a piece of Georgie with him. Bill turned to start running the other way to avoid the attention of the dog. He felt he was in slow motion as he turned to run, his ears perking up to a noise. He turned his head to the side where he saw his brother, not a rabbit, standing on the other side of the field aiming a shotgun. Someone was standing behind Georgie but before Bill could get a good look at the figure, he was shot down. Bill didn’t notice that he was a human again as he watched the bullet go from slow motion to full speed. The last thing he saw was his brother smile before pulling the trigger. The moment his body collapsed to the ground is when Georgie saw him open his eyes.

 

The teen opened his eyes to find tears streaming down his cheeks. Georgie was tugging at him and calling his name. Bill didn’t seem to register hearing or seeing his brother as he pulled himself out of the tub and stumbled to the counter.

 

“Bill! There’s-“ The boy looked over in the tub, expecting it to still be filling up, but it was completely empty. There wasn’t even a trace of blood. Georgie blinked, cautiously waving a hand in the tub as if the blood was now invisible. “There _was_ blood…”

 

His eyes were still in the dream. It wasn’t over yet. The teen shakily gripped onto the edge of the counter. He felt the counter but he didn’t see it. He was still lying in the field, his eyes unable to move or close. Even when the teen moved his head, his sight was fixated on the same thing. He could hear someone walk in the grass towards his dead body.

 

“Bill?” Georgie watched as his brother was starting to freak out. Even he could tell that Bill’s eyes were somewhere else. Physically, they were there but they were seeing something else. They were moving rapidly like while dreaming. They were glassed over and terrified.

 

The teen made a panicked cry as he was clawing at his eyes, trying his hardest to wake up. He didn’t know what was real anymore. The figure now stood over Bill’s body but there was company.

“You’re keeping him from waking up, aren’t you?”

Bill recognized the voice to be Georgie’s. A smirk was the only response as he felt his body be lifted. He wasn’t able to move but now he was facing the unknown figure. Pennywise didn’t say anything as he opened his mouth, monstrous teeth pushing out. Bill screamed.

 

“Bill! Stop!” Georgie tried to pull his brother’s hands down. He was going to claw out his own eyes.

 

Bill didn’t see or hear Georgie. All he saw was teeth closing in on him and all he could hear was his own screaming. He did his best to force his eyes to stay still and focus. He managed to see the bathroom counter he was doubling over. The teen was fighting with all his might to not allow his eyes to shift back into the nightmare. The corners of his vision were darkening as the projector slide tried changing. His eyes were wide open but it felt like they were getting difficult to hold open as his vision got darker. He forced his head up to look up at the mirror, antlers scraping and cracking the mirror. The reflection was him with the head of a dead deer; a bullet wound in the head and blood trailing from the eyes. He let out another cry and brought his head back down, squeezing his eyes closed.

“M-Make it stop!!”

 

“Bill! It’s not real! It’s not real!” Georgie was tugging Bill’s shirt to try to get him to look at him and calm down. “Look at me!”

 

The teen opened his eyes and looked down. He saw his brother but something was wrong. Georgie was there but his right arm was ripped off, blood pooling from it. “Wh-Wh-What happened t-to y-your arm?!”

 

Georgie frowned. “It’s not real, Bill.” He grabbed both of his brother’s hands and held them to both comfort him and prevent him from trying to scratch his eyes out. “We’re okay.” He spoke softer in hopes of calming him quicker.

 

Before Bill could respond, Zack busted into the bathroom. His entrance startled both the boys and made them jump.

“What the hell is going on in here?!”

 

“There was blood… in the tub…” Georgie answered. He figured it would be better for him to respond since Bill was still in a scared, paranoid state.

 

Zack raised an eyebrow and looked over in the tub to find it empty. He sighed heavily and turned to his son. “I’m getting real sick of your lies, Georgie…”

 

“I said _was_ ,” he tried to justify his answer so he wouldn’t get whipped. “There’s not anymore. That’s not a lie.”

 

He narrowed his eyes at the boy. “Don’t get smart with me.” Zack glanced at Bill who was being oddly quiet. “What’s the matter with you?”

 

Bill shook his head. He refused to look at him as he stared in the mirror one last time. Everything was normal. He rubbed his eyes. “N-N-Noth-“

 

“Okay.” He cut him off. Zack wasn’t in the mood to hear Bill’s annoying stutter. “What are you two doing in here together?” He directed this question to Georgie.

 

The boy bit his lip as he thought of an answer. He wasn’t going to say they were sleeping in the tub. “Praying?” He wasn’t confident in his answer but he tried.

 

His father stared at him. He wasn’t even a little amused. “I’m going to find something to hook you up with that shocks you every time you lie. Whatever it is that you’re doing in here, stop it. I’m putting an end to all this nonsense.” He was as serious as ever and with that promise he left.

Georgie hoped he wouldn’t be able to find anything that could shock him. He didn’t want to get shocked. The boy turned his attention back to his brother who looked completely drained.

“Billy…”

 

The teen shook his head again. He honestly didn’t have the energy for Georgie. “N-Not n-now…” He walked around him to head to his room where he collapsed on the bed. He was so tired. It wasn’t just a physical fatigue, it was emotional and mental as well. He wanted it all to end. For once in his life, he wanted some sort of stability. The only remote stable thing in his life at the moment was the fact that his depression clutched to him constantly.

 

Georgie climbed on his bed and pressed next to him. Georgie didn’t understand the level of sadness that his brother was facing but it hurt him to see. He hugged Bill. The teen didn’t say anything or return the affection.

“I-It w-was supposed t-to be us…” He finally mumbled.

 

Georgie looked at him. “Huh?”

 

“Us,” He repeated. “We w-were s-s-supposed to be up agai-against P-Pennywise to-together… We’re s-supposed to f-fight him together b-ut it j-just feels like it’s m-me.”

 

Georgie frowned. “You don’t have to fight him.”

 

“I-I’ve _been_ f-fighting him… M-My n-nightmares… are killing me. _You_ killed me…” Tears started to stream down his face again and he shook slightly. “My mind is-isn’t d-doing good… I’m s-so j-jaded.”

 

This hurt Georgie. He thought he’d been protecting Bill this whole time. He had no idea that things were getting so bad.

 

“And I d-don’t even _kn-know_ wh-what he’s doing t-to you.” Bill looked at him, ignoring the tears that tried to block his vision. “You w-won’t tell me.”

 

The boy bit his lip and glanced away from him so he wouldn’t be tempted to start crying. Even if he could tell Bill everything without any repercussions, where would he start? He glanced down at the changing number in his palm. He felt it every time the number went up. It hurt but he had gotten used to it by now. 19. Georgie almost felt numb. He hoped it would all be over soon. How much longer could this possibly go on? How could people be so oblivious to what’s happening around them? Why did it feel easier to stay quiet even when bad things were happening instead of trying to stop it? Georgie got pulled out of his thoughts with Bill’s question.

 

“D-Did I do s-something wrong?”

 

Georgie blinked. He only half heard him.

 

“Did I m-make you m-mad at me or s-something for y-you to not talk to me?” Bill had stopped crying by this point. He just wanted the truth.

 

“No. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

“Th-Then, wh-what’s happening? I-Is he hurting you?”

 

Georgie bit his lip as he thought about it. “He… pushes me on the swings sometimes.”

 

Bill blinked. “Is th-that a eu-euphemism f-for something?”

 

The boy took a guess and shook his head. He didn’t really know that word.

 

“Th-That’s all h-he’d doing?” Bill knew there had to be more to it. Something didn’t seem right.

 

“Um…” Georgie peeled at his lip lightly. “Oh! He kept me from getting rained on!”

 

He stared at him. “D-Do we have the s-same Pennywise? ‘Cause m-mine is tr-trying to kill me. Is th-there two of them? I s-swear to God…” Bill felt like cursing but didn’t want to in front of Georgie. “End me.”

 

The boy gave him a small smile. He wanted to tell him so much but he couldn’t. “Just trust me. Please? I’m fine. We’re fine.”

 

“I d-don’t feel fine.” Bill sighed and thought about sleeping. “Wh-What if I d-don’t wake back up...?”

 

Georgie intertwined their fingers. “I’ll find a way to wake you up.”

 

Bill wasn’t so sure that would work but he was too tired to come up with a better plan. He just needed sleep.


	15. Bloody Shoes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is kind of long but it all ties in with each other so I couldn't really separate it :3

Bill woke in the wheat field once more. The only difference was Bill recognized having been there in his previous dream.

“No! I don’t want to be here!”

The teen dropped to the ground and curled up in himself. He was scared to move from the spot he was in. He was scared the dream would repeat itself. Bill glanced up when he felt the presence of someone with him. Georgie didn’t say anything for what felt like forever. This felt different. The teen blinked, waiting for something.

“What’s going on?” Bill slowly forgot he was in a dream as these new events took place.

 

Georgie sat down in the field with him and glanced around. The wheat hid them. The teen was confused on why his brother was being so silent.

“Why aren’t you talking to me?”

 

The boy reached for his brother’s hand, resting their palms together. When he removed his hand, it left blood on Bill’s. The older boy looked at his palm.

 

_23:17_

Bill didn’t understand what the numbers meant. The blood trickled down, seeping into the cracks of his hand, and plopped onto his shoes. He looked up to his brother for some kind of explanation.

“What do these numbers mean?”

 

Before Georgie could answer, the teen woke up. He blinked as he stayed in bed. His mind felt blank. Slowly, he looked for his brother to be next to him. Georgie wasn’t with him. By this point, Bill forgotten about his dream. He sighed. Bill felt depressed again but he didn’t know why. None of it was rational.

 

Georgie jumped on Bill’s bed and laid across him.

“Do you wanna play?” He asked with a smile.

 

Bill didn’t answer at first. “I r-really d-don’t feel like it, G-Georige…”

 

The boy frowned. “Why not? Are you sick?”

 

“N-No, I j-just don’t w-w-want to play.” Bill didn’t feel like doing anything or talking to anyone. He just wanted to lie in bed. His brother pouted and pressed on him more as he sat up.

 

“But I want to play…”

 

“G-Go f-find Lexi,” Bill mumbled bitterly. “M-Maybe she’ll wanna pl-play.”

 

Georgie thought about it for a moment before smiling and hopping off his bed. “Okay!”

 

The teen rolled his eyes at how easy it was to get him to leave. Usually there would be no way to get rid of Georgie. He sighed and closed his eyes.

 

 

 

Georgie happily headed outside. He wished Bill felt like playing with him but seeing Lexi was just as good. His smile faded when he saw the clown meet him on the sidewalk. The boy didn’t want to be around him. He was upset because he knew Pennywise was doing something with Bill even when he asked him not to.

 

“Hello, Georgie.”

 

The boy turned his nose up to him and skipped passed him. The clown snorted and began following him.

“What was that hop for?”

 

Silence.

 

“You should go to the park today.”

 

Georgie continued to ignore his existence. Pennywise frowned a bit then glanced around. There wasn’t anyone around so it wasn’t like the boy needed to stay quiet to avoid drawing attention to himself. He looked down at him and watched his body language.

“You’re mad at me for something, aren’t you?”

 

He waited for response he never got. The clown smirked. “So, you’re giving me the silent treatment now? If you think that’s going to work on me, you’re mistaken. I don’t care if you’re upset about anything.”

 

The boy continued to walk down the street, not giving the clown behind him a second thought. After a while, Pennywise started to get annoyed.

“You’re being really rude, you know that? You’ve been developing such bad behavior.”

More silence. He sighed loudly. “ _What is it?_!”

 

Georgie stopped abruptly, making Pennywise have to be careful to not trip on him. The boy turned around and looked up at him, eyes showing he wasn’t playing around.

“You said you wouldn’t hurt Billy!”

 

Pennywise blinked then smiled. “I haven’t been.”

 

“Liar!”

 

“Rude again.”

 

“I know you’re doing something! Bill’s been acting weird… He’s really sad… I’m worried about him.”

 

“Look, kid, the mind is a powerful thing. It can either be your sanctuary or your Hell.” He poked a finger against the boy’s forehead. “I can influence your thoughts but ultimately you control what you think about. So, no, I’m not doing anything to Bill.” He grinned slowly. “He’s doing it himself.”

 

Georgie frowned as he looked up at Pennywise. He waited for him to remove his finger.

“What about dreams? What do you do to them? Bill said he’s having nightmares.”

 

The clown hummed. “I have nothing to do with them.”

 

He narrowed his eyes at him. “I don’t believe you…”

 

Pennywise laughed. “Have I ever lied to you?”

 

“Yes! Many times!”

 

The clown grabbed Georgie’s cheek and tugged it harassingly. “Don’t worry your stupid, little face about it. They’re nothing more than harmless reels of tape. If he was smart, instead of being a useless piece of meat, it would be helping him. That’s his fault.”

 

Georgie pulled away and rubbed his cheek. “I don’t want you doing _anything_ to Bill. That includes dreams and his thoughts! Leave him alone!”

 

“Well, that’s no fun.” Pennywise frowned at him. After a moment of thought, he came up with an idea. “How about a little trade? Since you want Bill to be so protected; give me something in exchange.”

 

The boy didn’t speak. He was waiting to hear what Pennywise wanted.

“I can make Bill’s nightmares disappear, but that’s all I can do. His thoughts are his own. In exchange for that, I want… Lexi.”

 

“No.” Georgie was quick to answer. He didn’t need any explanation from him; Lexi wasn’t an option.

 

“Then I guess nothing will change.” He grinned.

 

“I guess so.” Georgie huffed and turned on his heel. He was still upset since it was evident that Pennywise wasn’t going to be nice. He didn’t want to have to choose between Bill and Lexi. He loved both of them. The boy just hoped his brother would be okay.

 

Georgie ran up to his friend’s house when he reached her yard. Pennywise waited at the sidewalk for them. The two kids had upgraded their greeting to a hug. Once they released each other, Lexi happily showed off one of her birthday presents.

“I got a new jump rope!”

 

“Cool!” Georgie noticed the pink in the jump rope matched the pink clip that held Lexi’s braid. The handles of the jump rope were hot pink and the rope itself spiraled with a white stripe.

 

“Do you wanna play with it?”

 

“Yes!” Georgie followed her into the front yard. He knew Pennywise wanted him to go to the park but he was still mad at him so he wasn’t going to go anywhere. The clown had no choice but to stay with them. Georgie wondered if Lexi was going to be able to see Pennywise again but she didn’t seem to.

She went over to a tree in the yard and tied one end of the rope to it. Lexi gave the other end to Georgie.

“I’ll go first!”

 

The boy smiled and took a few steps back to have enough room to swing the rope. Pennywise let the kids play for a while. He knew Georgie was purposely being difficult. It made him smirk at the challenge. Pretty soon, Lexi missed a jump. She giggled a bit but wanted Georgie to jump with her. The boy frowned, not knowing how they both could play at the same time.

Both kids looked up when Pennywise walked over to them, holding out his hand to take the end of the jump rope. He gave him the handle and Lexi smiled. “Yay! Now we both can jump!”

 

The clown waited for them to get ready before he started swinging the rope around. Lexi held on to one of Georgie’s hands to keep them together. Together they chanted their game.

“Cinderella, dressed in yella, went upstairs to kiss her fella. But she made a mistake and kissed a snake. How many doctors did it take?”

They started counting with every hop.

 

As they jumped, a car drove by. All the driver saw was the two kids jumping but no one else. He was confused on how the rope was moving with no one controlling it. He checked back in his mirror to find Pennywise smiling full of teeth.

 

Pennywise let the kids count up to 4 before he purposely tripped them up, making them both fall to the grass.

 

The driver gasped and looked back on the road to find himself completely running a stop sign and colliding with another car. 4 people were killed in the wreck. Lexi giggled with Georgie, being completely oblivious to the wreck that happened further down the road. The girl stood up with Georgie and smiled.

“Do you wanna go play inside?”

 

Before Georgie could agree, Pennywise chimed in.

“You better get home, Georgie. Bill might need you.”

 

The boy frowned with worried and declined her offer.

“I have to go now.”

They hugged their goodbyes and the boy ran home in the opposite direction of the wreck. Pennywise didn’t follow him but he didn’t notice. He was scared with worry about his brother.

 

 

 

Bill forced himself to get up and to get dressed. He laced up his shoes, hoping to both fool his body and mind into feeling better. It didn’t work so far. Bill slowly haunted the kitchen for something to eat. He wasn’t actually hungry but he knew he needed to eat something. He felt so out of it. With a sigh, he gathered a few things from the fridge to make a sandwich. His mind oddly felt blank and busy at the same time. The teen felt he was being pulled further down into despair with every passing minute. Instead of paying attention to the tomato Bill was cutting, the teen zoned out. He didn’t catch when the knife slid askew and cut his hand. The pain is what brought his attention back to reality.

“…Ah!” Bill quickly searched for the paper towels to wipe up the blood. He wasn’t usually a klutz when handling sharp objects. The teen sighed to himself, tearing off a paper towel. He looked as his hand to see how bad the cut was. It wasn’t too bad. Bill slowly became transfixed on the palm of his hand. He was staring at the lines on his hand. He took the knife and slowly pressed the blade in the lines; tracing as best as he could. He wasn’t fully aware why it felt familiar or why he felt the need to do it. He didn’t really feel anything. Bill was numb as he turned his hand up to look at it, the blood trailing down and dripping onto his sneakers. The teen’s eyes now moved down to his wrist where he was drawn to the lines his veins made.

 

“Billy?” Georgie frowned when he came back inside to find Bill bleeding. “You’re bleeding!” The boy didn’t like the sight of blood but he went over and pressed a wad of paper towels to Bill’s palm.

 

The teen blinked out of his trance and seemed a little surprised that Georgie was there. He looked at the knife he was holding that was laced with his blood. What was he doing? He looked at his brother when he was asked a question.

 

“What happened?” The boy asked, his eyes filled with concern as he stopped the bleeding.

 

“I… d-don’t know…” Bill carefully placed the knife in the sink and ran the water to rinse it off.

 

Georgie waited for his brother to finish rinsing the knife before he removed the paper towels and moved the teen’s hand under the water. The boy looked at his brother and frowned. Bill looked melancholy, feeling like he was useless.

“Wait here.”

 

Georgie hurried to where they kept their first-aid kit, retrieving a box of Band-Aids. Bill dried off his hand and reached for the box Georgie had brought him.

“I want to do it!” The boy pulled the box away from his brother and proceeded to open it and pull out half the bandages.

 

“G-Georgie…” The older sibling chuckled and tried to guide where to put the band-aids but Georgie was determined to do it himself. There wasn’t much strategy in where he placed them. By the time Georgie finished, Bill’s hand was covered in the colors of a rainbow. His brother insisted on using a different, brightly colored band-aid instead of one consistent color.

“Wh-Why didn’t you g-get the Sc-Scooby Doo ones?”

 

“I like those ones. They’re mine.” He answered. He took his hand and lightly kissed every band-aid. “There! Now it’ll get better!” He promised, gathering the wrappings to throw away along with the bloodied paper towels.

 

Bill smirked and smiled down at his hand. The smile slowly faded as he felt the urge to ask a peculiar question.

“Wh-What do th-the numbers mean?”

 

“Huh? What numbers?” Georgie walked back to his brother and followed his gaze on his hand. “Do you see numbers on your hand too?” He asked him with a glimmer of hope. Could Bill somehow see the death count on his own hand as well?

 

“Too?”

 

The boy was silent.

Bill blinked. There clearly weren’t any numbers on his palm so the teen couldn’t understand why he felt like there were. “I gu-guess I j-just dr-dreamed it…?”

 

Georgie didn’t know what to tell Bill. “What did the numbers say?”

 

Bill tried his hardest to remember them but he honestly couldn’t. He simply shook his head. Georgie frowned then hugged his brother. “I love you…”

 

“I l-love you, too.”

 

 

 

School the next day was uneventful as Bill tried his hardest to just slide by. He was constantly on the lookout for Henry and his gang. Stan met the teen by his locker when the bell sounded for lunch.

“What happened there?” He asked, pointing to the band-aid covered hand.

 

Bill looked down at it, having almost forgotten about it. He gave a soft smirk. “It-It’s not as b-bad as it l-looks. Ge-Georgie w-w-went a little cr-crazy with the b-band-aids.”

 

Stan smiled at him and waited for him to close his locker so they could walk to the lunch room. “I like it.”

 

“Th-The band-aids or-or me b-being hurt?” It was Bill’s failed attempt at a joke. He was trying his hardest to get himself out of the rut he’s been in.

 

Stan laughed anyways. “The band-aids.”

 

Eddie and Richie were already sitting at their table when Stan and Bill got there. They had their trays pushed to the side as they were looking over a sheet that had project requirements on it.

 

“I’m not doing that,” Richie decided.

 

“You have to! It says you do!” Eddie shook the paper for emphasis.

 

“No way! Presentations are so gay.”

 

Eddie tried his best to stifle a laugh. “Your glasses are gay!”

 

Stan frowned a bit at his friends. “Stop saying gay as an insult.”

 

Eddie seemed taken aback. “Wha- How is it an insult?! Who here’s gay?”

 

Richie started to chuckle. “Your mom!”

 

His friend narrowed his eyes at him.

 

“Come on, guys.” Stan sighed. “It’s offensive.”

 

They both looked at him. Eddie snickered and nudged Richie in the shoulder. “Your face is offensive!”

 

“Guys…” Stan glanced over at Bill who kept his eyes on his food even though he wasn’t eating that much. The other two continued to laugh and insult each other.

Bill sighed and got up from the table to leave. Stan frowned and followed him outside where the picnic tables were. Not many were outside; a few loners were scattered around, smoking. There were two couples huddled together, free from the restrictions of PDA. Bill went over to the far wall and sat on the pavement. Stanley sat next to him, pressing his back against the wall. “I swear those two act like kids…”

 

Bill smirked, taking a sip of the soda he brought with him. “Y-You’re d-definitely the m-mom friend.”

 

“I am not!” He paused when he started to think about it. “…”

 

He laughed. “I-It’s okay. I-I’ll be the d-dad. Th-that one dad.”

 

Stanley chuckled. “That one dad that wants 15 kids?”

 

“Yeah, th-that’s the one.”

 

“I hate to tell you, honey, but I can’t give you 15 kids.”

 

“O-Oh, no! I’m d-devastated. A-All those years tr-trying…” They were giggling at their little role play. “I w-want a d-divorce!”

 

Stan started laughing louder and covered his face. That only made Bill laugh more. “We shouldn’t be laughing! Stuff like this actually happens!”

 

“It’s f-funny cause it-it’s us.” They both laughed and slowly grew quiet. Bill’s smile became faint as he bit his lip. “…I-If I were to l-lose my mind and b-be crazy, w-would you s-still be my f-friend?”

 

“Of course.” He intended to speak softly but it came out more as a whisper. “Who knows, if those two keep acting up the way they do, I just may be crazy with you.”

 

Bill chuckled.

 

Stan smiled at him. “If I were able to give you 15 kids, would you want to stay married?”

 

“Y-Yes.”

 

 

At the end of the school day, Stan met Bill again at his locker. “Do you wanna go by the library and get a start on our project?” He asked, watching him put his stuff away.

“S-Sure.”

 

Before they could leave, Beverly met up with them. “Bill! The cast for the play has been posted. Have you checked it out yet?”

 

“N-No, I pr-probably didn’t get it. D-Did you g-get your part?”

 

“Go find out for yourself!” She grinned. “It’s posted on the auditorium doors.”

 

“I h-have to get G-Georgie…”

 

“I’ll get him! We can meet at the library when you’re done.”

 

Stan smiled at him. “Aren’t you a little bit curious?”

 

“I gu-guess.”

 

“I’ll go with you.”

 

 

Beverly smiled at them before she headed outside. She waited on the sidewalk and waved Georgie over to her when she saw him. The boy glanced around for his brother when he went to her.

“Where’s Billy?”

 

“He’s inside. He had to go do something.” Beverly smiled at him. “But I need to go by the library. Would you like to walk me there?”

 

“Okay!”

 

Beverly grinned and offered her hand to the boy. Henry and his gang were nearby. When Georgie placed his hand in Beverly’s, the bully decided to call them out.

 

“Hey, look! It’s the two sluts of Derry!” Henry smirked as he brought unwanted attention to them. “Do your knees hurt, Georgie?”

Patrick was the first to snicker then others followed in. Some others made passing comments to them as they walked by. Georgie didn’t understand what they were talking about.

Beverly narrowed her eyes and gave Henry a look that said to fuck off. She squeezed Georgie’s hand and tugged him along. Other students laughed and watched them. When they got away safely from the crowd of teasing, Beverly released his hand. “Don’t listen to him, Georgie.”

 

 

 

Henry smirked as he watched them leave then he shoved Victor in their direction. "I heard they're going to the library. You go too."

 

"Why?" He asked, recovering from the shove. 

 

"To befriend the rabbit! Have you forgotten our plans already?!"

 

Victor sighed and gave Belch a look that said to come with him. His friend took a step towards him but Henry put his arm up to stop him. 

"I didn't say you could go."

 

Belch looked at Victor then Henry. "But I'm always with him."

 

"Yeah, I know. What are you, a faggot? This," he motioned between Victor and Belch with a finger. "Is done. I'm separating you two." He pointed at Victor. "Go make friends with our little bunny. You better play nice." He tugged Belch by the shirt collar to make him follow. Belch and Victor exchanged looks of distress, fear, and loss. 

 

Victor frowned and turned to take the long way around to the library so it wouldn’t be obvious he was following them.

 

Belch reluctantly walked with Henry, avoiding his burning eye contact. 

"What? You sad you're not with your boyfriend?" He teased. "Well, suck it up, buttercup!" He shoved him forward. "You got a job to do too! Go with Patrick. I have a loser to find." Henry headed back into the school.

 

 

Bill and Stan made their way to the auditorium where there indeed was a sheet posted. The teen scanned the paper to find his name, biting back a smile when he found it. He also searched for Beverly’s name. They were casted as husband and wife.

“I g-got it.”

 

Stan grinned at his underlining excitement. “That’s awesome! What’s the play about?”

 

“I-It’s about th-this n-newly married c-couple who go to th-this b-bed and br-breakfast f-for their h-honeymoon. B-But th-there’s a k-killer amongst them. As the st-story g-goes on, more and m-more people die; until a-all that’s l-left is th-the mur-murderer.”

 

“Damn.”

 

“R-Right?” He chuckled.

 

“Are you the murderer?” Stan asked playfully, an eyebrow raised.

 

“Y-You’ll have to w-wait and see l-like e-everybody else.” He grinned.

The sheet also specified to pick up a script from the drama room. As they headed that way together, Stan looked at him.

“So, are you going to do it?”

 

“…I d-don’t know yet. I d-don’t kn-know who’d w-watch Georgie.”

 

His friend frowned a bit as he thought about how he might could help.

“Maybe I could watch him one day?”

 

Bill looked over at him. “R-Really?”

 

“Sure.” He smiled. “We can see if Richie and-“

 

“I d-don’t want R-Richie near him.” Richie was too much of a child himself to be able to watch one. Plus, Bill didn’t want his brother to catch on any curse words.

 

Stan laughed and agreed that would be best. “What about Eddie?”

 

“E-Eddie’s fine.”

 

 

Once Bill got his script, they were ready to head for the library. The teen was looking at it when it was suddenly snatched from his hands.

 

“What’s this?” The bully asked as he flipped through it.

 

The teen tried grabbing it back.

 

Henry smirked, keeping the script out of his reach. “You’re in a play? You’re more of a loser than I originally thought!”

 

“G-Give it b-back!”

 

“Go k-kill yourself!” The older teen teased, tossing the script into Bill’s face. Once it fit his face, it fell to the floor. Henry laughed and left him to pick it up. Stan frowned. He felt like a bad friend for not stepping in. He went to grab the script for his friend at the same time Bill did so they bumped heads. Henry snorted at them.

“Fags.” He turned to leave.

 

Bill sighed, taking the script and getting up. “L-Let’s go,” he mumbled.

 

 

 

 

“What’s a slut?” Georgie asked, looking up at Beverly as they headed for the library. It was a new word for him.

 

“It’s… it’s like a whore.”

 

“Oh!” His eyes lit up after a moment of thought. “That’s someone with a lot of close friends.”

 

Beverly blinked away a look of confusion on her face. “That’s… one way to put it, I guess. I like your definition of it better.” She smiled at him.

 

“It doesn’t mean close friends?” His smile faded.

 

“You definitely get close. But it doesn’t have to be with friends.”

 

Georgie looked even more confused. Beverly smirked slightly, thinking of a better way to word it.

“It means someone who sleeps with a lot of different people.”

 

“Oh.” The boy was quiet while he thought about it. “But the only person I sleep with is Bill-“

 

Beverly covered Georgie’s mouth quickly while they walked by some people. “Uh, I’d be careful about saying that out loud.” She smirked. “But that’s not what I’m talking about. I mean the _other_ kind of sleep.”

 

Georgie blinked, completely lost.

 

“Oh, god.” She covered her mouth as it occurred to her that the boy didn’t know anything she was referring to.

 

“What-“

 

“Never mind!”

 

“But-“

 

“How about this? Ask me in a few years and I’ll tell you.”

 

Georgie frowned. “Why do I have to wait?”

 

“You’re too pure,” she whispered. “The universe would implode if I told you now.”

 

“Really?!”

 

“Yes.” She lied. She couldn’t keep a straight face as Georgie looked up at her in full belief. She dropped a hand on his head and ruffled his hair. “Come on.” She opened up the library door and held it for Georgie.

 

“Why are we here?” The boy asked. He didn’t like the feeling of libraries. He felt like he couldn’t do anything without making noise.

 

“I have to find some stuff for a research project,” Beverly whispered, guiding him over to the section of books she needed to be in. “We won’t be here long.”

 

Georgie followed her with a frown, having heard the same faulty promise whenever he was with his mom at the grocery store. Beverly scanned the spines of the books until she found the ones she wanted. She kept searching until she found three. She smiled to herself as she watched Georgie from the corner of her eye. He was bored, shuffling around in a nearby radius of her. Beverly got his attention and he ran over to her.

“Can we leave now?!”

 

A librarian quickly hushed Georgie. The boy sent a sideways glance over at the woman who sat at her desk. He hated the library.

 

The teen smiled. “Not yet. We’re meeting Bill and Stan here. They’re going to be working on their projects too.”

Beverly pouted when she heard the most pitiful, disappointed sound ever come from Georgie. She stroked his hair then led him over to an empty, long table, sitting down in the middle. Georgie sat in the chair across from her. He glanced around when he felt eyes watching them. The few people in the library peered at them occasionally. Georgie didn’t understand why. Beverly was so used to stares that she hardly noticed them. The teen placed her backpack on the table and pulled out a notebook to jot down notes. Georgie watched her with a sigh. After a while, he rested his chin on the tabletop. A soft growl came from his stomach and the boy shut his eyes with a whine. Beverly glanced up from her book and smiled at the boy.

 

“Hey,” she whispered, digging in her backpack for something. She smiled when she found it and pulled out a candy bar. “Want some?”

 

Georgie looked at it then moved his eyes over to the side where the librarian was located. “We’re not supposed to eat in here,” he mumbled, having remember reading the sign that forbade drinks and food when they came in.

 

Beverly tore open the wrapper anyways. “Some rules are okay to break.” She smirked and winked at him. “Just as long as you don’t get caught.” As she spoke, she broke off a small piece of the candy; a thick, string of caramel still connecting it to the rest of the bar. Georgie’s eyes lit up as he accepted the piece she passed to him. He smiled happily and popped the candy in his mouth. She tore another piece for herself and ate it, keeping the rest of the bar hidden from sight on her lap.

Georgie was still bored as the teen continued to work but eating candy helped. Beverly continued to secretly feed him; alternating pieces for Georgie and herself until the candy was gone. Soon, the sugar kicked in and the boy became antsy. Beverly saw him start to fidget and she smiled, closing her book.

“Want to play a game?”

 

The boy looked up with intrigue. Beverly grinned and leaned closer to him. “Let’s play… tag!” She whispered. “But we have to be quiet and not get caught!”

 

“Okay!” Georgie tried his best to whisper but he wasn’t very good at it.  

 

“Go,” Beverly encouraged, getting up from her chair. Georgie giggled and quickly ran off. The teen quietly slipped behind some shelves before she started to run. Georgie could run quieter than she could but as long as she didn’t get caught it didn’t really matter. She giggled as she chased the boy all throughout the library, quickly dashing behind shelves and never staying in the same place more than a moment so they wouldn’t get caught. Something bright red caught Beverly’s eye as she passed by a stairwell. She went back to check what she saw and noticed Georgie down the stairs in a darkened corner, his back to her. She smirked and quietly tried to sneak up on him.

“Tag!” She laughed as he grabbed him by the shoulders to turn him around. The boy’s eyes were black and an inhuman shriek came from its mouth. Beverly gasped and immediately jumped back.

 

“Boo!” Georgie pounced from behind Beverly and held onto her waist. The teen jumped again and looked down at him.

 

“Georgie!” She looked back at the corner to find it empty. She sighed softly with relief as she held to boy to her. She didn’t know what she saw. It must have been her mind playing tricks on her in the dark.

 

“What are you doing in here?” The boy asked, resting his chin on her hip.

 

“Looking for you, and now I’ve got you!” She went to tickle him and Georgie screamed playfully. They both laughed and the teen scooped him up in her arms. She swung him around once then noticed the librarian standing at the top of the stairs with her hands on her hips. Beverly tried to fight back a smile as she placed the boy back on his feet. Georgie was still giggling. Before the librarian could scold them, Beverly pushed Georgie lightly.

“Go!”

 

The boy did what he was prompted and ran past the librarian. Beverly ran at the same time but went on the opposite side of the woman to confuse her. The boy and the teen grabbed hands once they got passed her and they ran back to their table. Beverly pulled the boy in an embrace to try to calm his excitement as they laughed. Others in the library looked at them annoyed from all the commotion.

“Breaking rules is fun!” He giggled.

 

Beverly laughed then noticed Bill and Stan were at a table on the opposite side of the library.

“Look, there’s Bill.”

 

“Bill!”

 

The teen laughed again and held him still so he wouldn’t run over there.

“Wait! I need to go tell him something first. Wait here, okay?”

 

“Okay!”

 

Beverly went up from behind Bill and leaned an arm on his shoulder. “Hey, guys.” Before they could respond with a greeting, she started again. “You know how your brother is really sweet and innocent?”

 

“Y-Yeah?”

 

“I may have ruined that,” she said quickly. “Sorry.”

 

“W-What?”

 

“It’s not as bad as you think!” She pulled the chair out beside Bill and sat down. “Henry called us a slut on our way over here and he wanted to know what it was.” She gave a small smile to Bill. “I heard his little definition of it.”

 

Bill groaned and covered his face.

 

Beverly chuckled before continuing. “And I don’t know! It just doesn’t click to me that he’s so young when I’m with him sometimes. So… He may have forgotten all about it by now! …But if he comes to you asking questions and you wonder where he got that from; it’s from me. Sorry.” She tried to hold back a smile as she watched Bill slowly die. Stanley covered his mouth as he smirked.

“Just get your parents to give him _the talk_.” Stan suggested.

 

“T-That’s worse… They b-barely told _me_.” He uncovered his face to look at Beverly. “Y-You have t-to tell him!”

 

“No way! He’s a boy. He should hear it from another boy.”

 

“Y-You s-started this!”

 

“I can’t tell him! I told him the world would implode if I did.”

 

“W-What?!”

 

Stan and Beverly both laughed now.

“He believed me, too! He’s so cute.” She tried her best to keep quiet so they wouldn’t have the librarian after them. The woman was already gunning for her and Georgie.

 

“W-What have y-you done to m-my brother?!”

 

“I’m sorry!” She laughed.

 

“How c-could this happen t-to me? ...”

 

“It’s not _that_ bad.” Beverly tried to make him feel better. “He’s at that curious age anyways!”

 

“God…”

 

“You don’t have to give him any _details_. He just wants to know what these words he’s been hearing means. That’s fair to give him that.”

 

Bill sighed heavily and looked over at Stan. “Y-You tell him!”

 

He shook his head quickly. “Oh, no. I’m a mother to two retards, not that sweet angel. Besides, you wanted a divorce, remember? This one is all you.”

 

Beverly smiled between them. She didn’t know what their inside joke was about but she found it amusing. Then she looked at Bill with more of a serious look. “I think he needs to hear it from you. He’s so close with you! He’s starting to confuse the two relationships… That’s _not_ good. And Henry’s not exactly helping… That’s going to be a problem later. He needs to know the difference now.”

 

“I-I don’t want to l-live anymore.” He deadpanned in all seriousness.

 

The other teens laughed then Stanley’s eye caught Georgie getting up to walk somewhere. He looked over to find that he was walking towards Victor.

“Uh. Bill?” He pointed over to them.

 

Bill turned around and immediately got up, heading towards his brother when he saw Victor.

 

 

“Hi!” Georgie smiled as he walked up to the older teen who was just standing around awkwardly. Victor winced when the boy came over to him. He was praying he’d stay away. He attempted a smile, shifting uncomfortably.

 

“Thank you for that cookie you gave me a while ago.” He felt like he didn’t get the chance to properly thank him for it.

 

“Yeah…” Victor tried again to smile but quickly gave up on it. “You really shouldn’t come around me…”

 

The boy tilted his head. “Why not?”

 

“I’m not a good guy, okay?”

 

“You don’t seem like a bad guy to me.” Georgie could tell when someone wasn’t good to be around from the vibe he felt from people. He didn’t feel that Victor was much of a threat. He did with Henry, though.

 

It was a little easier for Victor smile this time. He appreciated Georgie thinking he was good. Victor wished he could believe it to be true but he’s done too much shit for Henry to be considered good. He frowned sadly and looked at him with a warning in his eyes.

“Look, kid. You need to stay as far away as possible from me and the others. Especially Henry. He’s out to get you big time… and he’s not going to stop till he gets what he wants. Stay with Bill or anyone. Just _never_ be left alone… You never know when Henry’s-”

The teen looked up when he noticed Bill heading straight for them. Victor took a step back, the look in Bill’s glare saying he was ready to fight.  

 

Georgie had a similar look of fear in his eyes but for a different reason. Behind Victor he saw Henry walking towards them. The boy swallowed as Henry got to them first. He slapped a hand on Victor’s shoulder, making him jump with fear.

“You harassing my boy?” The teen asked, staring down at him with that evil glint in his eyes.

 

Bill stepped up behind Georgie seconds later. He pulled his brother closer to him. “ _H-He’s_ h-harassing Georgie.”

 

Henry’s eyes moved to Bill and he smirked. “Better keep an eye on him, Bill. You don’t want to lose him.” His grin was a challenge that Bill accepted.

 

“B-Bite me,” he hissed.

 

Henry made a chomp motion at Bill. Georgie flinched, having witnessed Pennywise bite enough people to flinch at any similar motion.

“Careful what you wish for, faggot.” Henry tugged Victor by the shoulder as he started to leave. “I’ll bite you both.” The oldest teen lingered a gaze on Georgie.

 

Bill didn’t remove his glare from Henry. He also tugged Georgie to him when he turned to walk away. Victor and Georgie looked back at each other as they were pulled away from each other. The boy matched Victor’s frown then he looked up at his brother.

“What’s a faggot?”

 

“D-Don’t w-worry about it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm probably going to get asked this a lot so I'll address it here. I feel like the numbers in Bill's dream are both super easy to figure out but also really difficult at the same time XD I'm curious to hear your theories on what it means :3 It won't be revealed until the very very end!


	16. Snake Charmer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit long maybe (I'm not really sure what classifies as a long chapter XD). Originally, I was going to extend it longer but I feel like this chapter is pretty heavy. I think where I ended it was best so all of you can kind of digest what happened without having too much thrown at you :3

“Everything okay?” Beverly asked as her friend returned with his brother.

 

“Y-Yeah, it’s f-fine.”

 

The boy looked at Beverly. “What was that thing you had to tell Billy?”

 

The girl grinned as her eyes went up to Bill who took his seat at the table. He wouldn’t look at her. He knew she wanted him to give Georgie _the talk_.

“Why don’t we let Billy explain?”

 

“L-Let’s not…”

 

She giggled. “It’s not going to be that bad!”

 

“I d-d-don’t think he’s r-ready.”

 

“Georgie’s very smart. I think he can handle it.” She softly ran her fingers through the child’s hair.

 

“L-L-Let me re-rephrase that… I d-don’t th-think _I’m_ ready.”

 

The boy looked impatient. “What is it?”

 

Stan chuckled at his friend. “Just start.”

 

“H-How?”

 

“When two people love each other very much…” Stan laughed as Bill covered his face with a pained groan.

 

Beverly rolled her eyes as she pulled Georgie into her lap. “Do you know the difference between boys and girls?”

 

The boy thought about it for a moment. “Girls take longer in the bathroom?”

 

Beverly grinned and chose to not comment on that. “Okay. Take you and Lexi for example. It may not seem like it right now, but you and she are very different because you’re a boy and she’s a girl.” She paused to see how Georgie thought about it but he appeared to be unreadable as he listened. “You and Lexi seem pretty similar, right? You two like to play together?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Well, that might change a little bit when you get older.”

 

“Why?”

 

“When you get older your body starts to go through these changes. Everyone’s different so around maybe late middle school or when you get into high school you’ll start noticing these changes.”

 

“What kind of changes?”

 

Beverly smirked a little bit. “You’ll… notice those on your own.” She looked over at Bill who was suffering from second-hand embarrassment. She chuckled softly and returned her attention to Georgie. “But Lexi might go through hers before you. So, there might be a few days every once in a while where she won’t feel like playing as much. Nothing is wrong with her or you; she just won’t feel very well.”

 

“Why?” Georgie frowned.

 

“That’s what happens when you grow up. Your body does weird things and you don’t feel well.” She made a face. “Your body starts freaking out, you’re freaking out, everyone around you is freaking out…”

 

“You have to take statistics…” Stan added with a smirk.

 

Bill chuckled. “A-And ch-chemistry.”

 

Beverly grinned. “There’s also Godawful research projects…”

 

The boy frowned even more. He didn’t like the sound of growing up. The teen smiled at him and petted his hair.

“It’s really nothing you have to worry about right now since it won’t happen until later.” She looked at Bill. “Would you like to take it from here?”

 

“N-No.”

 

She rolled her eyes with a smile. “You can do it.”

 

Bill made an uncomfortable noise and glanced up at Stan. His friend smirked.

“Don’t look at me. I’m just here for emotional support.”

 

Bill sighed heavily, keeping his eyes glued to the table. He didn’t want to do this. The fact that his friends were with him only made it worse.

“Wh-Wh-When you g-get into h-h-high school and you n-notice these changes, y-you’ll start to s-s-see people a l-little differently… And you’ll l-l-like people dif-differently.” He forced himself to look at his brother. “So, wh-when two p-people like each other a l-lot th-they’l be-become a couple. Af-After a while, they m-might d-decide they l-l-love each other and g-get married. When t-two people get m-married, they h-have s-… relations…”

 

Beverly giggled and hugged Georgie. “And that’s how babies are made! When married people have _relations_ ,” Beverly glanced at Bill as she used his choice of term. “They then become a mommy and daddy.”

 

“And then their lives are over,” Stan chimed in with a laugh.

 

The teenagers snickered while Georgie was busy thinking everything over that he was told. He looked over at his big brother.

“But we love each other!”

 

Bill shook his head which made Georgie’s whole world crumble down in an instant. The older sibling immediately regretted everything as he tried to come up a way to save the situation.

“Wh-What I mean is, w-we l-love each other b-but we don’t h-have r-relations like m-married people.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“B-Because w-we’re brothers. Br-Brother love is d-different than m-mommy and daddy l-love. Th-They sh-sh-shouldn’t feel the same. It’s wr-wrong.” 

 

Georgie frowned and looked down at Beverly’s arms that were wrapped around him.

 

Bill also frowned. “D-Does th-that make sense?”

 

He nodded slowly, not lifting his eyes up as he played with Beverly’s bracelet. He was in deep thought.

 

“I-It doesn’t mean I l-love you any l-l-less. I’ll always l-love you m-more than an-anything in this w-world. It just m-means-“

 

“Is that why dad gets mad when we sleep together?” He asked in a mumble. The boy was confused. Was it wrong for him to love his brother? Was that why their dad seemed to hate that they were always together?

 

Bill was silent for a moment. “Y-Yeah…”

 

Beverly frowned and met Stan’s gaze for a moment.

“Why don’t we head home?” She brought up, squeezing Georgie once more. “It’s been a long day!” She allowed the boy to slide out of her lap before she stood up. Bill and Stan started to put their research stuff away.

“Will you go get my backpack for me?” She asked Georgie.

 

“Okay!”

 

She smiled as she watched him run along. She turned to her friends and wrapped an arm around their necks.

“Parenting 101! We’ll get through this.”

 

Stan smiled a bit. “It takes a village to raise a child.”

 

Bill pulled out of Beverly’s arm as he swung his backpack on his shoulder.

“I f-feel like th-this was a m-mistake.”

 

“You did really good.” Beverly patted his shoulder then went to help Georgie get her stuff.

 

Bill still wasn’t convinced. He felt like Georgie didn’t quite understand what he really meant. He just didn’t want things to be weird between them.

Stan and Bill waited for Beverly to come back over to them so they all could checkout their books together. Georgie stayed close to Beverly, hanging on to her hip. The older sibling frowned a bit, being used to his brother being on his hip. When they walked outside together, Beverly glanced up at the clouded sky. It was a mix of white and grey.

“It kind of looks like snow, doesn’t it?” She commented. She was holding on to Georgie’s hand.

 

“SNOW?!” The boy was ecstatic for the possibility of snow. That, and he still had plenty of energy from all the chocolate he ate earlier.

 

“It’s definitely cold enough,” Stan mumbled as he adjusted his jacket.

 

“I want it to snow!! Do you think it will?” The boy asked excitedly to anyone who would listen.

 

“M-Maybe…” His brother responded. He didn’t know why but he had a very bad feeling.

 

The teens stopped on the sidewalk to say their goodbyes to Beverly. She handed the boy off to his brother but Georgie rejected holding Bill’s hand. Bill tried his best to make it out that he didn’t care but he did. Stan noticed this.

“I’ll see you guys later.” Beverly smiled and waved as she headed on her way home.

 

Georgie started to lead the way in the opposite direction while Stan and Bill followed. Stan glanced at his friend. The teen was silent as he watched his brother to make sure he didn’t randomly decide to run off. Stan gave a small smile as he reached over to lightly poke Georgie on the head. The boy paused his walking to turn around to see who was responsible for poking him. Stan pointed a finger over to Bill. The boy narrowed his eyes at his brother before turning back around. Bill blinked and looked at his friend with a questioning glance. Stan chuckled softly then motioned towards Georgie, silently encouraging him to poke him next. Bill hesitated but finally decided to tap his brother on the head. Georgie swatted and glanced back at the teens.

“Stop!” He extended the vowel with a whine.

 

Both teens snickered playfully. Stan reached over again and poked Georgie one last time. The boy stopped and turned to his brother.

“Billy!” Georgie attempted to push his brother in the stomach.

 

The older sibling laughed as he doubled over him. Georgie wasn’t strong enough to actually move Bill, but the teen took a step back in time with the child’s push to make it seem like he was.

“I d-didn’t do th-that one!”

 

“Yes, you did! How would you like it if I poked you in the head?!””

 

“Y-You c-can’t even r-r-reach my head.” He laughed.

 

“Then come down here!” Georgie tugged on the teen’s shirt. Bill complied, letting his brother bop him on the head. It was a trap so he could grab him and hold him whether he wanted the affection or not. The boy then huffed in the teen’s ear as he was picked up. Georgie stuck his tongue out at his brother.

“Bleh!”

 

Bill mimicked a similar fake vomit motion in his face, making the boy giggle and put a hand over Bill’s face. Stan grinned, happy that his little trick to get the Denbrough brothers together again worked. They reached Stan’s street so they parted ways with him, waving goodbye. Georgie rested his head against his brother’s shoulder as he was carried to their house. He started thinking about everything that was told to him. He still didn’t understand if he was allowed to love his brother or not.

 

Bill set the boy down when they got inside their house. His smile faded as he saw the look of thought and confusion on his face.

“Wh-What is it?”

 

Georgie chewed the side of his cheek. “So… We _can’t_ love each other?”

 

“We c-can.”

 

The boy was even more confused.

“But you said it was wrong!”

 

Bill sighed as he thought of how he could clarify everything. He didn’t know how he could explain the concept of incest to his brother so he chose to not go that route.

“Th-There’s di-different types of l-love. Th-There’s love you h-have for f-family and then l-love you have f-f-for other people.”

 

“…But they’re called the same thing?”

 

“Y-Yes.”

 

“Why is that?”

 

“Th-They were too l-lazy t-to come up w-with different w-words for it.”

 

Georgie frowned.

“Then how do you know which one it is?”

 

“Y-You’ll feel it. S-So, the love y-you feel for m-me is different th-than love you f-feel for s-s-someone like L-Lexi.”

 

“But I love you both the same!”

 

He smirked a bit.

“Th-That’s be-because you’re only s-seven. You’re n-not going to kn-know what the o-other love f-feels like till you’re in h-h-high school.”

 

Georgie pondered the thought until he made a connection.

“You’re in high school!”

 

“Oh, G-God.” Bill anticipated the worst.

 

“What’s the other love feel like?”

 

The teen’s prediction became true. He silently cursed his brother’s curiosity.

“Uh-Umm… D-Don’t worry about th-that! Th-The only thing y-you have to kn-know is that I w-will always l-l-love you.”

 

“What if I did something bad?” Georgie asked somberly. “Like, really _really_ bad?”

 

Bill shook his head.

“Th-That doesn’t m-matter. There’s n-n-nothing you can do or s-say to m-make me ch-change that I l-love you.”

 

Georgie didn’t feel convinced. He felt like his deal with Pennywise would be an exception to make Bill hate him. The teen picked him up again and held him so they could be closer to being eyelevel.

“Y-You’re always going to b-be my w-world. It d-doesn’t matter how o-old you get or i-if y-you get m-married or if I g-get married, I’ll n-never stop loving y-you m-more than anything.”

 

Georgie smiled softly for a moment. “…And it’s okay? Even though dad doesn’t think so? …”

 

“W-We can love e-each other like br-brothers and b-b-best friends. J-Just not like a g-girlfriend.”

He nuzzled noses with his brother, making the boy giggle.

 

The brothers heard a car door shut. Bill looked over towards the front door as he set his brother down.

“Mom’s home!” Georgie predicted.

 

The boys were fully expecting their mom to be home but it was Zack who walked into the door. He was never home early.

 

“S-Speak of the d-devil and he’ll sh-sh-show up,” Bill mumbled to himself. Georgie slid behind his brother to hide, holding on to the tail of his shirt.

“Wh-Why are you h-h-home?” Bill asked cautiously. His father gave him a look that was borderline annoyed.

 

“What kind of question is that?”

 

“I w-was j-just asking…”

 

“Where’s the other one?” Zack asked as he started walking to the living room. He glanced back at Bill to find Georgie peeking out from behind him. He stopped and turned to him. “I thought I told you stay away from that Marsh girl.”

 

“…I am…” He mumbled. His voice almost gave out from nervousness as he spoke.

 

“Then why am I hearing stories about you while I’m at work?”

 

Georgie didn’t respond. He coward back when Zack took a few steps towards them. Bill stood his ground between them.

 

“I’m hearing that you’re hanging around her, getting tips.”

 

“It’s j-just r-rumors,” Bill said to back Georgie up.

 

Zack’s eyes shifted over to Bill. “I’m hearing stuff about you too.”

 

“Th-Those are r-rumors too.” The teen hated how stupid rumors could spread like wildfire. No one had anything better to do in Derry.

 

“Are they? It would explain why you’re so sickeningly close.”

 

Bill didn’t say anything. He didn’t even take his eyes off his dad. Zack returned his attention to Georgie       as he reached a hand to grab him and pull him out from behind Bill. Before he could make contact with the boy, Bill swatted his hand quickly. Within the second, Zack back-handed his son across the face. His ring hit Bill in the eye, making the teen cover his eye in pain. Georgie had flinched just as bad as if he was the one that was hit. Bill blinked and held his eye. Everything happened so fast. He was still trying to process what happened. His hand felt wet. He was scared it was blood but when he looked at his hand it thankfully wasn’t. Bill returned his gaze to Zack, his eye continuing to water from irritation. He wanted to see some kind of remorse in his father’s eyes for hitting him but he didn’t.

 

“Go to your room,” he ordered.

 

Bill wanted to confront him for being such a bad parent but he didn’t want to risk Georgie getting caught up in the fight. Reluctantly, the teen started to walk away. The younger brother was right on his heels but was stopped by the weight of his father’s hand on his shoulder. He desperately clung to the teen’s shirt to beg to not be left alone. Bill stopped and wasn’t going to move any further until his brother was released.

 

“Look at me, Georgie.”

 

“I don’t want to…” The boy avoided looking at him all together. He was too scared to.

 

“I know.” His voice showed disappointment and something else. After a few moments of burning silence, he let go of Georgie. “Go.”

 

The moment the boy was released, he raced to get out of there. He scrambled passed Bill. The teen immediately started following him up the stairs. He didn’t notice the paper that fell out of his jacket pocket.

 

“In _separate_ rooms,” Zack called after them.

 

Bill saw Georgie close himself off in his room. He wanted to follow him, he knew he should follow him, but he was scared to get caught from their father. With a defeated sigh, the teen went to his own room. He felt like he was the worst since he couldn’t bring himself to go comfort Georgie.

 

 

Neither of them left their room when their mother finally came home. A few hours later, Sharon went upstairs to tell them dinner was ready. Bill went to wait for Georgie so they could walk together.

“Do I have to go eat dinner?” He asked his brother with a frown.

 

“Un-Unfortunately.” He held Georgie’s hand.

 

As Sharon made her way back down the stairs, she noticed the folded paper on the steps. She picked it up and read it. It was the flier for the open auditions. She waited until her sons got to the table before she brought it up.

“Are you going to go to this Saturday?” She asked showing the teen the paper.

 

“I al-already went,” he mumbled. “It w-was l-last Saturday.”

 

“Oh,” Sharon felt a little bad she didn’t realize that. “So, that’s where you were Saturday? Did Georgie go with you?”

 

The teen shook his head, messing with his food. He debated telling her any more but finally decided to.

“H-He was with L-Lexi.”

 

“Oh?” She was more interested in hearing about Georgie’s new friend than Bill’s audition. “Who is she? What does she look like? Is she cute?” She directed all these questions over to Georgie who didn’t really want the attention.

 

“What are you going on about?” Zack asked as he came in from the living room.

 

“Georgie has a girlfriend!” Sharon said excitedly.

 

“It better not be that Marsh girl,” he grumbled as he sat down.

 

Georgie shook his head quietly. Zack raised an eyebrow at the boy, surprised to hear it wasn’t the teen whore.

“How many girls do you have?”

 

“Her name is Lexi!” Sharon answered before Georgie could say anything else.

 

“Lexi, huh? That doesn’t sound like a name you can trust… What’s it short for? Alexis? Alexa? Those are never good girls…”

 

“I think Lexi is a cute name.”

 

Zack ignored his wife and turned his attention back to Georgie.

“Is she also a high schooler?”

 

The youngest boy shook his head again. “Her sister is.”

 

“You’re seeing her sister, too?!”

 

Bill rolled his eyes. “L-Lexi is s-seven.”

 

His father glanced at him for a moment before looking at Georgie.

“What’s her sister’s name?”

 

“Brandi.”

 

“That’s another whore. I guess I know what your type is… You don’t want to have to work for it.”

 

Everything went right over Georgie’s head.

 

“He’s o-only s-s-seven!”

 

Zack looked at the teen. “How many girlfriends do you have? Oh, that’s right… You have none.”

 

Sharon frowned at her husband. “Zack…”

 

“How come your seven-year-old brother can get three girls, God knows there might be more, and you can’t even get one? And you’re in high school where all the girls are easy! He’s two up on you and he doesn’t even go to high school!”

 

Bill huffed softly as he focused on his food instead of his father’s teasing.

 

“Leave him alone Zack…” Sharon tried stepping in. “Bill went to an audition for his school’s play.” She smiled and passed the flier to her husband, trying to show Bill off so he would stop picking on him. She turned to her son.

“How did it go? Did you get a part in it?”

 

Before the teen could answer, his father cut in.

“You can’t be in it.”

 

Bill was beyond annoyed with him by this point.

“Wh-Why c-c-can’t I?”

 

“You have to watch that one,” He motioned over to Georgie. “That’s your whole purpose.”

 

The teen glared at him heavily. Sharon frowned a bit at Zack.

“I can take a couple days off work to watch Georgie and so could you.”

 

“N-No, for-forget it.”

 

“Honey…”

 

“J-Just forget it! I w-won’t do it!” The teen abruptly stood up to leave, tossing the silverware on the plate with a clash. Georgie jumped slightly at the sudden noise and watched his brother go upstirs. He felt bad that he was the reason Bill can’t do his play. After a couple moment of silence, Georgie also left the table. He didn’t exactly want to be with his parents without Bill. The boy wanted to go into his brother’s room but the door was shut. Georgie frowned, not wanting to bother him so he sadly went to his own room.

 

 

That next morning was filled with fluttering snow as Sharon went to Georgie’s room to wake him up. She skipped Bill’s room, figuring it’d be best to just let him sleep. She smiled when she woke her youngest son up.

“It’s snowing, sweetie. School is cancelled today.”

 

“Snow?!” The boy instantly got up. He loved snow. He jumped out of his bed and ran over to his brother’s room to wake him up.

 

Bill was currently having a wonderful dream. He was so used to having reoccurring nightmares that he almost forgot what a good dream felt like. Just as it was about to get to the best part, Georgie jumped on Bill.

 

“It’s snowing, Bill!!”

 

“Oh no…” The teen groaned awake, his dream slipping away.

 

The boy kept bouncing on him to make him to get up faster.

“Let’s go play!!”

 

“I’ll m-meet you out th-there.” He attempted to pull his brother off him but he was too energetic to be moved. “I’m c-coming. I p-promise I’ll be th-there in a minute.”

 

“Okay!” Georgie climbed off him and hurried to get dressed so he could go outside.

 

Bill groaned as he tried his hardest to fall back into his dream. He already forgot what it was about. The teen hated everything as he sighed.

 

 

Georgie ran down the stairs but paused when he noticed his dad was home. He didn’t think that since it was snowing that Zack would stay home. He tried to slip by the living room while his dad was distracted by the news on the tv. He flinched when he heard his name called. Georgie stood still as he looked over at him, nervously squeezing his hands.

 

“Come here.”

 

The boy took one baby step closer.

 

Zack was unamused. “I am not playing this game with you, Georgie. _Get over here_.”

 

He whimpered as he slowly walked closer. He kept enough distance between them so he couldn’t be grabbed. Zack leaned forward in his seat, motioning for him to come closer. Georgie hesitated but obeyed.

 

“Am I in trouble?” He asked in fear as he was grabbed by the arm and pulled up onto the couch next to his father.

 

“Not yet,” he started. “But you need to start listening to what I tell you and stop hanging around that girl.”

 

“Okay…” He wouldn’t look at him directly. He kept his eyes downwards.

 

“Have you heard the stories about that girl?”

 

The boy shook his head.

 

“Well, they’re bad. I don’t want to see you turn out bad like her. I don’t like the things I been hearing you do with this girl and some group of teens.”

 

He nodded. He wasn’t able to say anything, fearing he wouldn’t be heard over his loud heartbeat.

 

“And the things I’ve been hearing about you and Bill better not be true. You don’t want to go to Hell, do you?”

 

He shook his head again.

 

“That’s what’s going to happen if you don’t _stop_.”

 

He gave another nod.

 

Zack grabbed the boy by the chin and made him look up at his face. “It hurts me that you don’t look at me... Or talk to me. You’re not supposed to be this difficult until you become a teenager... You’ve been hanging around Bill and his no-good friends too much. They’ve been influencing you.”

 

Georgie didn’t speak. He kept his eyes glued to the left and refused to look at anything else. His mind was rushing with instructions Bill had told him if this were to ever happen and there wasn’t anyone in a close enough range. He needed to keep his eyes in one spot but be able to look around with his peripheral vision to find anything he could use to help if things got bad. Looking around too much would be too obvious. Georgie didn’t know the layout of everything well enough so his eyes shifted. His father sighed and tried to move the boy’s head around to meet his eyes. His eyes became more serious.

“Men aren’t giving you money to let them do things to you, are they? _And don’t lie to me_ ,” he added with a growl.

 

Zack’s hold on Georgie wasn’t just his chin. His hand also trailed down his neck. The boy grabbed his father’s wrist when he felt his hand squeeze his neck. He dug nails into his wrist which became a mistake because Zack only responded in tightening again. Georgie winced in pain and dropped his hand apologetically in hopes his father would lighten up. He didn’t.

 

“You’re not doing any adult things with Bill or his friends, are you?”

 

He was squeezing Georgie’s neck so tight that it felt difficult for him to breath. He couldn’t do anything but whimper. Suddenly, something hit the window. The noise made Zack turn his head to look at it, loosening his grip. He didn’t see anything that stuck out to him so he assumed it was some kid throwing a snowball. Georgie sucked in air.

“BI-“

 

His father quickly tightened the boy’s jaw again to prevent him from finishing his call. Georgie closed his eyes and hunkered down, expecting to be smacked at any moment. Zack sighed. He could feel his son’s pulse race from his neck.

“Look at me.”

 

The boy kept his eyes shut.

 

“I said _look at me_.” He gave him a quick shake, making the boy open his eyes.

“It’s not smart to try to be a snake charmer, boy. You’ll get bit.” He watched him with peering eyes. “…Unless you’re a snake yourself?”

 

Georgie’s eyes shook then darted downward to his father’s lap for a second. Zack followed his gaze. It was simply a fake-out to distract him so the boy could reach for the closest thing to him; a beer bottle. His fingers only brushed the glass, knocking it over, before Zack quickly tilted Georgie’s head up to the ceiling. The boy let out another whimper ruefully. The sudden movement made his neck hurt. His father only held him there for a moment before lowering his head back down. His grip was less but still firm. 

“I’m only tough on you and your brother because I love you both. And I want to protect you. I wouldn’t have to be so hard if you two would just listen. You do know that I love you, don’t you?”

 

Georgie was unable to simply nod due to Zack tightening his hold on his jaw. He was forced to speak after swallowing. “Yes…”

 

He kept staring at him but since he got his answer, Zack released him. “You can go play now.”

 

The boy didn’t have to be told twice. He immediately ran away. He wanted to run to Bill but the front door was closer. Tears filled the boy’s eyes as he closed the door behind him and walked into the yard. A snowball suddenly hit him in the face.

“Huh?” The boy wiped the snow off his face and looked for the one who threw it. All he saw was Pennywise. The clown tossed another one at his face, making him giggle lightly.

 

“Your life wasn’t in any danger so I shouldn’t have done anything. You owe m-“

Pennywise was interrupted by a snowball in the face. Georgie giggled louder, gathering more snow to make another one.

“Don’t get _comfortable_ ,” the clown hissed, removing the snow from his face. “I didn’t do it to be nice! I only did it to get you out here faster. I still want you to go to the park.”

 

“You like me!” The boy declared happily.

 

“I despise everyone. Especially you, annoying child.”

 

Georgie was convinced otherwise and he threw another one at him. The clown regretted his earlier decision, grumbling to himself that Zack should have strangled the boy. One thing he’d never be able to understand was that the boy always ended up being happy again. He had more reasons to be depressed than happy, just like Bill, so why was he so easily cheered up? This annoyed Pennywise to great lengths. He was determined to change this.

 

“We’re friends!” The boy teased, prancing around the clown.

 

“You’re food.” He hissed, getting dangerously annoyed.

 

Georgie laughed. “We made a deal so I’m not food!”

 

“I can easily end this deal. I can end all your happiness. And your life.”

 

“But you won’t,” he accused boldly.

 

“Or will I?” Pennywise grinned.

 

 

 

Bill came down the stairs and went through the kitchen where he met his dad. He gave him a passing glance as he headed for the door.

 

“Where are you going?” He asked, fixing himself a cup of coffee.

 

“Outside t-to play with G-Georgie.”

 

“You better not do anything with him you might regret.”

 

“I c-c-could say th-the s-same to you.”

 

“And what are you implying?” Zack asked with a glare.

 

“Th-The s-same thing y-you’re implying about me.” He glared right back at him.

 

“That attitude of yours is what I’m absolutely sick of.” He took a sip of his coffee. “I thought I beat the backtalk out of you but all it did was make you stutter like a fool. I guess I didn’t beat hard enough.”

 

Bill had his hand on the doorknob to leave but he stopped. He should have just walked out but instead he turned around to face his dad.

“Y-You sh-sh-should have b-beaten me until I st-stopped breathing. B-But you didn’t.”

 

“Believe me, I would have.” Zack rolled his eyes with an annoyed look. “Your mother is the one that got in the way of that.”

 

“And n-now I’m st-stopping you fr-from getting the ch-chance to do it to Georgie!”

 

“What do you think you can do?” He smirked.

 

“G-Get you a-arrested.”

 

“Please, I’m your father. I haven’t done anything wrong to either of you.”

 

“B-Bull!”

 

“Then try it!” He challenged. “All you’ll be doing is proving you’re insane. You should really be more grateful for all the things I’ve done for you! I put a roof over your head, food on the table, and I love both of you brats.”

 

“Y-You c-can’t beat us th-then s-say you l-love us! Th-That’s not love! That’s y-your s-sick games, dick!” With that, Bill opened the door and left. He slammed the door behind him.


	17. Snow Bunny

The sudden slam of the front door startled Georgie. He was expecting his father to have come outside but was pleased to find it was his brother.

“Billy!” He ran over to him excitedly and attached himself like glue.

 

Pennywise was just glad to have the boy finally stop pulling on him so he could leave. He could only handle so much interaction with the child before he had to get away unless he wanted to paint the sidewalk with him. He didn’t understand how Bill, or anyone, could handle Georgie. He didn’t care enough to find out. He also didn’t particularly want Bill to see him. He was having enough trouble keeping tabs on Georgie. The last thing the clown wanted was someone else bugging him.

 

Bill tried to smile at his brother but he was still livid at their father. The boy frowned up at him.

“What’s wrong, Billy?”

 

“N-Nothing… It’s j-j-just dad…”

 

“Oh.” He pouted lightly. “Did he choke you, too?”

 

The teen stared at Georgie before turning to go back inside. He was going to kill their dad.

 

“Wait! Don’t leave! You haven’t played with me yet.” The boy gathered a handful of snow. “You said you would!”

 

Bill sighed as he looked at his brother. He took his hand off the doorknob and walked over to him. The boy cheered and tossed the snowball carefully to his brother so he could catch it. The teen smirked and chucked it back to him.

 

“Hey!”

Georgie giggled and turned so the snow would collide with his shoulder.

“I didn’t do that to you!”

 

“You m-m-missed your opportunity!” The teen grinned and quickly formed another snowball. He threw it at his brother while the boy was busy making his own.

 

“Give me a chance!” He laughed, still scrambling to get his snowball finished. Bill smiled and waited for him. Georgie flung the snow at the teen’s face, giggling,

 

“Hey, I d-didn’t aim f-for your face!”

 

“Missed opportunity!” The boy copied as he attempted to run from his brother.

His feet sometimes sunk into the snow which offset his sense of balance. Other times he was able to brisk light and swift enough to not crush it more than a shallow print. Bill took advantage of the boy’s lack of stability when he stumbled in the snow to catch up to him. The teen chuckled and wrapped his arms around his brother who tried to get away.

“G-Got you!”

 

“No!” Georgie playfully shouted as he laughed. He turned in Bill’s arms and lost his footing, falling backwards. Bill also fell but kept in mind to not actually land on him so he wouldn’t hurt him. The boy’s laugh was that infectious kind that only attracted more. Bill tried to not laugh but he couldn’t help it. He lazily laid on his brother which made the boy giggle and push him.

“Get off, you butt!”

 

The teen smirked then stuck out his tongue, trying to touch Georgie’s face with it. The boy shrieked playfully followed by laughter. 

“No!! Stop!” He pushed his brother’s face, being careful to not touch his tongue. “You’re gross!” Georgie made a small gag-like motion at Bill for emphasis. The teen laughed then made a more realistic gag in the boy’s face.

 

“Eww!” The boy laughed and pushed his forearm against the teen’s throat to prevent him from touching his face with his tongue. Bill still managed to get closer. “Quit it!” Georgie turned his head to the side and closed his eyes.

 

“What a weird way to catch snowflakes.” Someone commented with a slight giggle.

 

Bill glanced up to find Beverly smirking down at them. The teen retracted his tongue and quickly sat up. He was blushing with embarrassment but hoped he could just blame the coloring on the cold weather. Georgie laughed even louder at his brother, holding his stomach as he turned to the side.

 

“Uh, I w-was j-just…”

 

Georgie gripped on the teen’s sleeve to pull himself up, still giggling.

“I have to tell you something!” He tried to calm his laughter as he cupped a hand around his ear. He paused for a moment then he fake-gagged, sticking his tongue out.

Bill flinched at the sound and bumped into Georgie. The teen shoved his brother back into the snow and wiped his ear.

“Ugh, I l-leaned r-right into that.”

 

Georgie laughed even more as he fell back into the snow. Beverly giggled as she watched them. She wanted to come by to check on them since they had left the library on such an awkward note. She was glad to see the brothers had made up.

“I’m a little surprised you guys haven’t built a snowman yet. There’s enough snow for one.”

 

“SNOWMAN!”

 

Beverly grinned at the boy then looked at her friend who stood to his feet.

 

“D-Do you want to h-help us m-make one?”

 

She smiled and picked up some snow. “Sure. How tall should we make it?”

 

“Taller than the house!”

 

Bill laughed as he also gathered snow.

“I d-d-don’t th-think that’s p-possible.”

 

“Everything’s possible with snow,” the child stated as if it was a fact. The two teens snickered and started to form the snowman. Georgie helped as much as he could. Pretty soon the snowman grew out of the boy’s reach and it was left to the teens to finish it. Georgie watched his brother, looking from him to the snowman then back to him again.

“Am I going to be as tall as you one day, Billy?”

 

“D-Doubt it.” He didn’t even look at him.

 

The boy’s mouth dropped for a moment then he pouted.

“Yes, I will!”

 

“N-Nope.”

 

“I’m going to be even _taller_ than you one day! Watch me!”

 

The teen laughed and finally looked down at his brother who was demanding his attention. “I’m l-looking for-forward to it.” Even though Bill hated the thought of his little brother getting older, he was still eager to watch him grow through all his stages.

 

Beverly smiled at them. Once the snowman was constructed, all that was left to add were some rocks for a face. Bill lifted Georgie up and held him so he could be the one to place the rocks.

“Yay!”

 

Bill smiled as he set his brother back down.

 

“We should name him.” Beverly offered with a smile.

 

“It-It’s sn-snow.”

 

“Jeffery.” The boy decided quickly.

 

Beverly laughed and placed her hands on her hips. “Jeffery it is!”

 

“It’s j-just snow!”

 

Beverly playfully pushed Bill in the shoulder. “Lighten up, will ya?”

 

“Yeah, Billy! Lighten up!” The boy tugged on his brother’s sleeve.

 

The teen rolled his eyes lightly then nudged Georgie along to take him inside. “C-Come on. It’s c-cold.”

 

The boy frowned. “I don’t wanna go in yet!”

 

“Y-You’ll get sick i-if you st-stay out in the c-cold too long.” Bill was final with his decision.

 

Beverly smiled and she dusted off some snow that was building up on the boy. “Let’s go warm up for a bit.”

 

Georgie wasn’t happy about the decision to go inside but he followed the teens anyways. Bill helped him take off the many layers he had on once they got in the warm house. Beverly waited for the boys to finish before she hung her jacket and scarf along with the others on the hooks nearby the door. Bill lead them into the living room where there was a fire already started in the fireplace. Georgie didn’t particularly like going close to the fireplace but he did it anyways since Bill and Beverly were with him. They sat down in front of it to warm up and the teen looked over at Beverly.

“S-S-So, you c-came by just to b-build a snowman with us?”

 

She smirked softly as she fixed Georgie’s hair. “That and to check on you guys.” Her smile faded when she looked up at Bill. She was curious about the mark on the outer corner of his eye. She lifted her hand to gently touch it but stopped when the teen flinched.

“Oh, sorry. What happened?”

 

“N-Nothing,” he mumbled, not really wanted to get into details about it. “D-Does it look b-bad?”

 

“I didn’t really notice it until now.” The mark was small but visible. It was a darkened blue that brought attention the red wired in the white of Bill’s eye. The red ironically accented Bill’s blue eyes. “Does it hurt?”

 

The teen shrugged. “Not m-much. It i-itches more than an-anything but I tr-try to not m-mess with it.”

 

Beverly frowned and tenderly brushed a fingertip against the bruise. Bill blushed faintly at her touch and looked elsewhere. His eyes settled on Georgie who was staring in the fire. He was unsettled. The boy had an irrational fear of the fireplace and he didn’t know why. The fireplace was always dark and for some reason he thought some creature could form out of the black soot. It was even more frightening when it was lit. He didn’t like the roaring sound the flames made or how the dance-like movement seemed completely random. The sudden pops always startled Georgie. The flames were mesmerizing in a terrifying way. Sometimes he felt like he could see pictures in the fire. He didn’t like them. The older sibling nudged Georgie out of his trance.

“Y-You okay?”

 

The boy nodded with a slight smile. He never spoke of his fear of the fire, figuring it was too stupid to share.

 

Beverly bit her lip then smiled apologetically at Bill. She knew he wouldn’t want to hear this. “Also… We never really finished talking about everything yesterday…” She whispered.

 

“N-No…” The teen groaned.

 

“You don’t have to say anything! I’ll do all the talking!” She smiled as she pulled the boy into her lap. “Georgie, do you remember what we talked about yesterday?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Well, we forgot to talk about what a whore is.” She paused for a moment but the boy didn’t have a reason to interrupt. “A whore is a person who has relations with a lot of different people without being in a relationship with them first. Sometimes they’re given money to do it.”

 

“So, it’s a job?”

 

Beverly grinned and shook her head. “It’s not a job you want. You should wait to have relations.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Um.” She bit her lip as she tried to come up with a way to explain it.

 

“R-Relations isn’t just ph-ph-physical,” Bill started, not looking at anything in particular. “It-It’s m-mental and emotional. Just be-because s-someone else might be r-ready doesn’t mean y-you are. Th-That’s why y-you should wait.”

 

The boy nodded, not really understanding anything but understanding enough. Beverly grinned at her friend. Bill blinked.

“Wh-What?”

 

“Number one dad,” she mumbled teasingly.

 

The teen blushed and looked away. “Pl-Please don’t call me th-that.”

 

Beverly laughed then she glanced down at the child who was repositioning himself to be more comfortable. Georgie turned around so he was sitting in her lap while facing her. He rested his head on her chest as he closed his eyes. All the warmth after previously being cold made him sleepy. Beverly smiled at him and rubbed his back soothingly.

Both teens looked over when they heard footsteps come down the stairs. Zack paused by the living room on his way to go outside.

“Oh, it’s just you.” He mumbled, staring at the girl. “I thought I heard someone talking.” He completely ignored his oldest son’s existence as he left.

 

Beverly smiled politely at Bill. “Your dad doesn’t like me much, huh?”

 

“H-He doesn’t like m-me much either s-so we have that in c-c-common.” He attempted a small smile.

 

She frowned then glanced back down at Georgie. A bruise starting to form on the boy’s neck caught her attention. She expected him to move when she pulled his shirt collar down to look at it but he didn’t.

“Aw.” She giggled softly. “I think he fell asleep…”

 

Bill smirked. “He has th-these little p-p-power naps. G-Give him th-thirty minutes and he’ll b-be up with m-more energy than ever.”

 

Her smile soon faded into a look of sadness as she held the boy, one arm wrapped around him and her other hand caressed his head. The teens sat in silence as they watched the fire burn. After what seemed like forever, Bill spoke.

“I d-don’t think I’ll b-be able to d-do the pl-play.”

 

Beverly looked at him then followed his gaze to the boy.

 

“I j-just… c-can’t be gone fr-from him.”

 

Beverly pressed her lips together as she listened to him.

“I wish you would,” she whispered. She met the other teen’s questioning gaze. “By all means, I’m not suggesting abandon him but please do something you want to do. If you don’t want to do the play then don’t, but don’t make that decision just because of Georgie. We’ll find someone to watch him for two hours and keep him safe.”

 

Bill shook his head and tried to speak but Beverly interrupted him.

 

“You’re doing something you never should have to do,” she whispered. “And you’re _great_ at it. But he’s not going to be a kid forever and you’re not going to be a teen forever. Enjoy yourself now so you won’t be looking back and missing it later.”

 

“Th-There’s t-too many thr-threats to let my g-guard down now.”

 

“You’re not alone in this. I’ll do everything I can to make sure he’s okay. The same goes for you.”

 

Bill sighed and returned his attention back to the fire. Beverly leaned her head on his shoulder. Sure enough, after about half an hour is when Georgie’s eyes slowly fluttered open. He lifted his head and squirmed uncomfortably, the heat from the fire and shared body heat making him too warm. Beverly pouted as she watched the boy crawl away from her. Georgie made his way to the window where he saw it was still snowing.

“I want to go play in the snow again!”

 

“N-No, G-Georgie, it’s too cold.”

 

The boy huffed then remembered his friend. “I want to see Lexi!”

 

“You two could make little snow angels together.” Beverly offered with a smile.  

 

“Yeah!”

 

“I j-just s-s-said it’s too cold.”

 

Beverly laughed then stood up. “I have to head home anyways so I’ll walk him over there.”

 

“Yay!” Georgie excitedly ran into the kitchen to put all his coats back on. The teens followed the boy and smiled at him. Beverly layered herself up while Bill helped his brother.

 

“N-No more pl-playing in the snow. Y-You’ll w-wind up with a f-fever.”

 

Georgie frowned but nodded. “Okay, Billy…”

 

Beverly rolled her eyes as she placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder to walk out with him.

“Bye, dad.” She commented in a sarcastic yet teasing tone.

 

“D-Don’t c-call me that!”

 

She laughed and hurried outside with Georgie. She took the boy’s hand as they started on their way. When they got close to Lexi’s house, he boy looked up at her.

“Am I going to Hell?”

 

The teen looked concerned at the child’s question. “What?”

 

“I just wondered…” He mumbled, looking down at his feet.

 

“What makes you think you would?”

 

The boy was quiet. Beverly stopped walking and stopped Georgie to look at her.

“Hey. Look at me.” She placed her hands on his shoulder while she searched his eyes. “What’s going on?”

 

“I feel like I’m a bad person…” He wouldn’t look at her. “…Also, dad said I would if I didn’t stop with Bill.”

 

Beverly didn’t like his dad. “You’re not going to Hell because you love your brother.” She wanted to say that his father had a better chance at going to Hell but didn’t think that would be the best thing to tell the boy. “The bond you have with him is honestly the greatest thing I’ve ever seen.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes! You two have a real love for each other. More real than half the marriages in this Godforsaken place. The only time it’s ever wrong is when family members have relations with each other. Then it’s called incest. So, don’t believe anyone who tells you that you can’t care for or love Bill.”

 

Georgie frowned. “What about rumors?”

 

“Rumors are nothing more than lies told to hurt you. They don’t define you. The same goes for being called names. It’s all lies told to hurt you.”

 

“How come people believe rumors when they’re just lies?”

 

Beverly sighed softly. “Well… Incest isn’t exactly an uncommon thing in this town. So, it’s not _that_ hard to believe.” She pulled Georgie into a hug. “You’re good, Bill would sacrifice anything for you, you’re not going to Hell.”

 

“What about Henry?” He mumbled.

 

The teen pulled back so she could look at him. “If he’s going to Hell?”

 

Georgie shook his head. “Is he going to hurt me again? Victor said he would.”

 

Beverly didn’t like any of this. She could see the boy was weighed down by concerns of so many things.

“…Victor told you this?”

 

He nodded. “When we were at the library.”

 

“Have you told Bill this?”

 

“No. I haven’t told anyone. Do you think it would happen?”

 

She wasn’t sure but she didn’t want Georgie to worry so she shook her head.

“Don’t worry about anything. He might try to scare you but he’s not going to touch you. And if he tries to, the next time you see his face will be a picture of him at his funeral. Bill is ready to throw him down. He’ll kill him before he lets him do anything to you.” She gave him a smile but saw he didn’t really look alleviated from his worries. She stroked his hair.

“All you need to do is have fun with Lexi. Leave the rest to us.”

 

Georgie presented a tiny smile as she hugged him again. They started back on their way. When they got there, she looked down at the boy.

“Have fun and be careful, okay?”

 

Georgie nodded but wasn’t really listening to her. He just wanted to see Lexi. Beverly chuckled at him, knowing he wasn’t hearing a word she said, and leaned down to kiss his cheek before releasing his hand. The boy blushed then trotted off into Lexi’s yard. He waited at her door for a moment until Lexi was bundled up enough to come outside. They greeted each other with a happy embrace. When they finally pulled apart, Georgie commented on her scarf. It was a classic pink that matched the rest of her outfit.

“I like your scarf.”

 

“Thank you!” She looked down at it. “I got it for Christmas last year.” She looked at the boy’s dark blue scarf. “I like yours, too.”

 

“Thanks.” He looked down at his. “I stole it from my brother.”

 

Lexi giggled. “Wanna trade?”

 

“Okay!”

 

The clown waited impatiently as the kids exchanged articles of clothing.

 

“Do you want to go to the park?” Georgie asked. He knew that’s what Pennywise was waiting for.

 

“Okay!”

 

The kids happily walked hand-in-hand, listening to the crunch of snow beneath them. Georgie enjoyed the walk to the park more than actually arriving because he knew what Pennywise wanted. There weren’t many people at the park; none of them being kids, at least. Georgie waited for instruction, glancing over at Lexi. She wasn’t able to see the clown next to them.

 

“Play hide and seek.” The clown smiled. “You seek first.”

 

The boy relayed the message to Lexi. She agreed happily.

“Okay! No peeking!”

 

Georgie was hesitant to close his eyes and start counting. When he opened them again, he was relieved to find Pennywise still with him. He was confused on what they were going to do.

“There’s no kids here.”

 

“We’re not going after kids today.” The clown pointed over to a man walking his dog on a path. “See that man over there? Go tell him you can’t find your sister.”

 

“But I don’t have a sister.”

 

“Work with me, kid…”

 

Georgie whined, reluctantly going over to the man.

“Excuse me…” He mumbled. “Can you help me find my sister? I can’t find her anywhere and it’s cold…”

 

The man looked down at him. “Where’s your parents?”

 

“They dropped us off here.”

 

The man frowned then looked around. He didn’t feel right about just leaving him. “What’s your sister’s name?”

 

“Lexi.”

 

“Okay… I’ll help look.”

 

Georgie turned his attention to the dog. It was a black and brown Dotson that had on a thick sweater to help keep it warm.

“Puppy!” The boy scooped it up so it wouldn’t have to touch the snow anymore.

 

The man smirked softly. “His name is Scooter.”

 

The boy hummed as he thought of a better name for the dog. “I’m naming you Hotdog.” He said to the dog. Scooter stared at the boy.

 

The man allowed the boy to hold his dog while he walked with him, searching for his sister. They walked by a stone bridge that allowed two walkways to cross each other. A red balloon caught the man’s attention. While he went to check it out, Georgie stayed with the dog.

“Can I tell you a secret?” The boy asked the dog in a whisper. Scooter quickly grew anxious with his owner walking away. His whines suddenly shifted into growls and barks full of warning. Georgie had to hold him tighter but that didn’t ease the dog. The boy frowned and turned around so he and the dog wouldn’t be facing the direction of the nice man being killed.

“I’m sorry…” He whispered. “But you can come home with me!”

The dog’s cries only grew more pained and he squirmed hard enough to break free from Georgie’s arms. Scooter jumped to the ground and ran away with panic.

“Wait, Hotdog! I love you!” He ran after the Dotson. He followed him across the park. The dog looked back then only ran faster. He wasn’t running away from the child but he was running from the demon that just killed his owner. Georgie was just about to step in the street after the dog but Pennywise grabbed him by the hood of his jacket, lifting him up.

 

“Hotdog!” The boy called after him one more time but it was too late. A car didn’t see the tiny dog before it hit him. Georgie was heartbroken. “I loved him…”

 

“You just met him five minutes ago!” The clown set him back in the limits of the park. “But use that sadness.” He pointed him in the direction of a woman who was going to her car to leave the park. “You’ll need to cry for this one.”

 

Georgie frowned. “I don’t like doing this…”

 

“Last one for today.” The clown promised.

 

The boy sighed. “But I can’t just cry for no reason.”

 

“Hotdog never loved you.”

 

That made the boy frown more but he didn’t cry. The woman had just opened her car door when she heard a loud shriek. She looked over to find a boy bleeding. Instincts kicked in as she ran toward the child. Tears streamed down Georgie’s face and he couldn’t really move his arm.

“Oh my god, what happened?! Are you okay?” The lady winced when she looked at the boy’s arm. It was covered in blood.

 

“It bit me…”

 

“What bit you?”

 

“I just told you.” Georgie sniffed, crying from pain.

 

“Okay, where’s your parents?” She asked, panicked.

 

“Not here.”

 

“Okay, don’t worry! I think I have a first aid kit in the car! Then I’ll take you to the hospital!” She was scared the boy might bleed out. As Georgie followed her to her car, his wound healed until it was perfect like nothing had happened. She was busy digging in her car for the kit when the boy walked away, leaving the clown with her. The boy waited in the park for Pennywise to come to him when he finished.

 

“I’m not doing that again!” He said, mad that he bit him.

 

The clown rolled hid eyed. “Fine.”

 

“Where’s Lexi?” Georgie was worried about her.

 

The clown pointed over to a big tree. “Behind there.”

 

Georgie trusted that he was right and he was.

“You found me!”

 

The boy was just happy she was okay. “Let’s play something else…”

 

“I know what we can do!” Lexi made a few footprints in the snow. “See if you can copy them perfect!”

 

Georgie smiled. “Okay!”

 

Lexi made a course from the tree he found her at all the way across the park. When she finished, she placed a stick to mark the finish line then she ran all the way back to Georgie.

“Go till you find the stick!”

 

The boy nodded and started following the footprints.

 

 

On a sidewalk adjacent to the park walked Henry and Belch. The bully hadn’t found anything to use as a branding iron yet so Henry was ensuring he got it done this time by tagging along with him. They were headed for Mike’s, thinking he may have something useful. The boy’s pink scarf is what caught Henry’s eye. He smirked when he recognized who it was.

“There’s our little snow bunny now.”

 

Belch wasn’t as interested. “Bill’s probably with him.”

 

“Bill’s not around.” Henry already scanned for the loser. Belch didn’t have much choice but to follow his leader as he changed their path. Once Henry learned what the boy was doing, he went on ahead of him. He kicked away the stick and made his own footprints. The boy was so fixated on matching the footprints that he wasn’t very aware of his surroundings. He liked this game. It was kind of like hopscotch. He didn’t stop when he got to the place where the stick used to be, following the new prints instead. It didn’t fully register to Georgie that the footprints belonged to another person until he met the shoes that made them, abruptly stopping his hopping. The boy’s heart started pounding with fear. He swallowed before looking up to find Henry towering over him. The teen smirked and picked him up by the back of his jacket.

“Cute scarf~”

 

“Let go!” The boy tried to squirm free. “Bill’s gonna kill you!”

 

Henry snorted. “That loser? He doesn’t have the balls to kill anyone.” The teen tossed the boy on the ground at Belch’s feet. Georgie landed with a grunt. The snow cushioned his fall but it wasn’t any more pleasant to land on. The boy went to get up but the weight of Henry’s boot pressed down on his back, pinning him to the ground.

“It’s a shame we don’t have everything ready yet…” He mumbled, pressing down harder to make him whine. “I don’t have anywhere to put you… We need a cage.” He looked to Belch who frowned, keeping his eyes on watch.

 

“Some people are walking this way… Let him go.”

 

Henry sighed. “Fine…” He stared down at his prey trapped beneath his foot. “Sorry for such a short encounter, but we have something big planned for you. But next time don’t be so easy to catch.” He grinned. “I like a challenge.”

He removed his foot off Georgie’s back then swung it into his side, knocking the breath out of him. The boy winced as he scrambled away. He wasn’t able to go as fast as he wanted due to the pain in his side but it didn’t really matter. The teens were letting him leave.

 

 

Georgie ran back to Lexi.

“What took you so long?” The girl asked. He ignored the question.

 

“I think we should go back home…” Georgie wanted to be home with Bill.

 

The children walked back to Lexi’s house.

“I can’t really feel my hands or feet,” the boy commented as they got to her yard.

 

“Me either!”

 

“Cool!”

 

“Bye.” Lexi and Georgie hugged for a long time. Before they pulled away, she kissed the boy’s cheek. Georgie blushed brightly then kissed her cheek back because he wasn’t sure what else to do. Lexi giggled then waved as she went inside. Georgie was still blushing as he made his way home.

 

When he got home he searched for his brother to help him take off his bulky jackets. The teen paused when he noticed the pink scarf.

 

“Um, G-Georgie? Wh-Where’s my scarf?”

 

“Oh…” The boy knew he was forgetting about something. “I forgot to trade back.”

 

Bill rolled his eyes with a smirk. “D-Don’t worry about it.” He noticed his brother starting to get lost in thought. “Wh-What?”

 

Georgie busted into tears. “I want a puppy and I want to name him Hotdog!” He attached himself to Bill.

 

The teen raised an eyebrow with a chuckle, not knowing where the sudden interest came from.

“M-Maybe one day.”


	18. Origami

That night, Georgie made his way into the teen’s room. He felt hot and his throat was sore. He crawled onto his brother’s bed and pressed against him, wanting comfort. Bill opened his eyes with a tired groan.

“Georgie…”

 

“I don’t feel good,” the boy mumbled.

 

Bill sighed, sitting up and leaning over Georgie to turn on his lamp. He looked down at the boy.

“Y-You played in the sn-snow again, d-didn’t you?”

 

“…Maybe.”

 

He stroked his hair softly before pressing the back of his hand against his forehead. He felt warm. At least the fever was only slight for now.

“D-Does your stomach h-hurt?”

 

The boy shook his head.

 

“Good.” Bill got up and went to get medicine for Georgie. They had a medicine cabinet in their bathroom. It was on the wall next to the mirror. It was out of reach of Georgie. The boy would have to climb on the counter just to be at a height to reach it. Even then, with the way the door open, he would have trouble getting anything out of it. He would have a better chance falling off the counter.

The teen always hated the medicine cabinet. The door had its own mirror. Bill thought this was a terrible design because for some reason he always felt there’d be something new in the mirror once he closed it. There never was but that didn’t ease him. He grabbed a Tylenol bottle and tapped a tablet into his hand. He debated how many he should get. He settled with one. Georgie was the worst at taking medicine. Anything liquid was completely out. He’d maybe swallow a drop but the rest would be spit out. Pills weren’t that much easier. Bill turned before he shut the cabinet so he wouldn’t have to glimpse in its mirror.

The teen flicked on lights as he made his way to the kitchen. He needed to get a glass of water and cut the tablet in half for Georgie. Which is why he only grabbed one. Georgie would hate it if he made him swallow four nasty things, no matter how small. It wouldn’t be as bad if he was able to get it down the first time. The boy wasn’t very comfortable or confident in swallowing them so they end up staying on his tongue while he swallowed the water, making it taste a million times worse.

 

Bill checked the time before he headed back up the stairs. It was almost one in the morning. The teen sighed, shutting off lights on his way out. When he got back to his room, Georgie was waiting patiently, looking tired and uncomfortable.

“Y-You need to t-take these.” He brought him the two halves. Georgie made a face of rejection and shook his head.

“You h-have to, G-Georgie. Here.” He gave him the glass of water. “Drink s-some first.” He waited for him to set the glass down before he handed him part of the pill. Georgie whined as he set it near the back of his tongue. He held it there as he brought up the glass to drink from again.

“One. Two. Three. Sw-Swallow.” Bill tilted the boy’s chin up on his cue to swallow. He did it successfully but still stuck out his tongue in disgust.

 

“Ew!”

 

“I-I know. J-Just one more.” He gave him the second half and coached him the same way to swallow it. Once Georgie got it down, Bill took the glass away and placed it on his nightstand.

“I’m pr-proud of you.”

 

“I don’t feel any better…”

 

“It h-hasn’t st-started working yet.” Bill laid him down. “Y-You need to go to sl-sleep.”

 

“Can you turn on your fan?”

 

“N-No. It’s too c-cold for a f-fan.”

 

“But I like the noise it makes…” The boy pouted and watched his brother get in bed. “TV?”

 

“No. The l-light will keep y-you up.”

 

“Please, Billy?” He pleaded in a familiar tone.

 

The teen caved with a sigh as he turned on his tv, turning the volume down until it was just soft murmurs. Once it was on, he turned out his lamp. Georgie turned to face his brother and to bury his face in the teen’s chest. He liked that there was sound now but the light from the TV did inhibit him from being able to sleep. That and the pain he was feeling in his side from where Henry kicked him. He was laying on his injury so he could face Bill. Georgie didn’t realize that his breathing was labored with pain. He was just trying to go to sleep. It was very disconcerting for the teen to hear. He watched his little brother and played with his hair. He figured the quick, short breaths were because he was sick.

Time passed by slowly as neither of them were able to drift into sleep. Eventually, Bill got up, seeing that it was now three in the morning. He made his way back to the bathroom to find anything that might help them sleep. They both needed it. The teen managed to find something. He wasn’t exactly sure what it was for but he remembered taking them before and they always knocked him out. Plus, the pills were already small so that was a bonus. He returned to his room and turned on his lamp.

“T-Take one of th-these.”

 

The boy didn’t say much as he sat up. He always grew quiet whenever he was exhausted. Bill made sure his brother got the pill down before he swallowed his own. They were both exhausted. The teen turned out his light and crawled back in bed with Georgie. It didn’t take much longer for them to fall asleep now. The boy’s breathing leveled within 15 minutes. Bill hovered in that state so close to falling asleep. He didn’t remember when he actually did fall asleep.

 

 

Bill wasn’t sure when his dream started. It was dark wherever he was. He felt as if he was on one of those haunted trail things. Georgie was with him; although, he only caught a glimpse of his yellow jacket as he looked around.

“This is creepy.”

 

Bill looked beside him to find he was now walking alone. Georgie was gone. The only thoughts that went through the teen’s head was he’d have to search for him. He assumed his brother went on ahead on the trail. Bill wasn’t able to leave his spot in line due to the people in front of him. They weren’t even people. They were just shapes that registered to Bill as people. There were three figures in front of him. Circles for the heads and thin triangles for the bodies. They weren’t attached.

“Why is this so creepy?” He asked to no one but himself.

 

The teen checked behind him to find more identical shapes were following him. This oddly creeped him out. For some reason he had a feeling of fear and panic but it was just shapes. He looked in front of him and followed the first line of shapes closer. He wanted to hurry through this so he could find Georgie and leave. They came up to an elevator. The teen had even more fear when he stepped in the small box. He didn’t want the shapes following him to get in. Bill couldn’t understand why he felt so on edge.

“Come on…!”

 

There wasn’t a button to press to close the elevator doors. If there was, Bill would have been glued to it. There weren’t any buttons at all. The teen stepped back as the other shapes managed to get in just before the doors closed. Bill shifted anxiously. The box was crowded and felt suffocating. He stared hard at the doors, wishing the elevator would hurry up and open again. A whisper in his right ear made him flinch.

 

“…Hello…” It was a female whisper and it kept repeating.

 

Bill rolled his shoulder and wiped his ear, not enjoying the feeling of having a whisper in his ear. It was coming from the shapes behind him but he didn’t want to look back.

 

“Yeah, hello, hello. Hi. How are you?” He answered, hoping that maybe if he responded then the voice would stop. It didn’t.

 

“I feel like you’re not really talking to me so I just look like I’m crazy because I’m responding.” Bill was more fidgety as he looked around. He couldn’t feel that they had been moving in the elevator.

“Are we even moving?!”

 

Just as he asked the question, the elevator doors open with a ding. It opened to reveal what looked to be a small hallway to an office. It was no longer dark; the office was colored with a reddish pink carpet and white walls. As they stepped out of the elevator, the teen realized they weren’t shapes at all. They were people. Bill stood in the tiny walkway and turned behind him to see the shapes behind him were also people. There was a woman with her daughter. The woman was middle aged, short, well fed, and had short, dark, red hair. Bill watched as the little, blonde girl happily ran underneath the white table in the hall. The table made the hall even smaller. Bill looked at the woman.

“Did you say anything to me in there?” He asked in a whisper.

 

“No.” The woman said.

 

Someone caught Bill’s attention to make him look at the doorway. He caught a glimpse of Georgie’s yellow jacket as he turned the corner. Bill looked at the dark-haired man who stood at the door, watching the boy. The teen had to leave to catch up to his brother. He turned back to the woman as he started to step away.

“I swear I’m not psycho.” He said, referring to when he was freaking out on the elevator. The woman said nothing as she stared at Bill. She didn’t believe him.

Bill turned and briskly walked out the doorway. He first checked left, where the man went but didn’t see Georgie. The teen chose to go to the right. He walked through the small hallways just wanting to get out. He didn’t care to search for Georgie anymore. He was tired of him running off so much. People muttered comments to each other talking about Bill. They were saying how he was the one freaking out on the elevator like people were talking to him when no one was. Bill finally pushed open the door to go outside. He didn’t bother looking behind him to see what the building was. As he walked, he noticed the Bowers Gang. He saw a glimpse of Victor on his right and Belch made a comment to him as he walked to his left. Bill gave zero fucks. The only one he was interested in was Henry and that’s who he was heading for. He ignored Patrick’s stares as he walked up to Henry. The leader looked confused on why the teen was coming to him.

 

 

Bill’s eyes groggily opened. He could have easily gone back to sleep but decided to check the time first. It was still 3 but now it was the afternoon. The teen forced himself to sit up. His head was killing him. It felt so foggy and delayed. He could still remember his dream but for some reason he had a very creepy feeling. Bill looked over at the boy beside him and he smiled. Georgie was still tapped out, now laying on his stomach. The teen turned his head to face the window. It was hard to see at first but it was still snowing lightly. He hoped school had been cancelled again because they slept through the whole day. Bill yawned and shook Georgie to get him up. If the teen felt this groggy from taking that medicine then he knew that his brother was probably dead. He turned the boy to his side and leaned against him.

“G-Give me a s-sign so I know I d-didn’t o-overdose you.”

 

The teen blew lightly in his ear, winning a soft whine from the boy. Bill smirked.

“Y-You’re alive.”

He went to pull down Georgie’s shirt that rode up but the dark color of a bruise caught his attention. Bill lifted his shirt to look at it. It was a large bruise along the boy’s side. It looked painful; being a dark purple with some red. The teen frowned, assuming it was their dad who was behind the bruise.

Bill didn’t realize how silent the house was until he heard someone walk up to his room. The TV was shut off. He sat back up when their mom entered in.

 

“Glad to see you boys are finally awake.”

 

“W-Well…” Bill glanced at Georgie who was still out. “We’re g-g-getting there. He h-had a f-f-fever s-so I gave him Ty-Ty-“ He sighed, not able to stutter the word out. He quit trying. “W-Was school can-cancelled?”

 

She nodded as she sat at the foot of the bed. “I decided to go into work this morning for a half day but I’m home now. Your father went for the whole day, though.”

 

Bill rolled his eyes bitterly. “Wh-What father?”

 

Sharon smiled sadly. “I know he’s hard on you two-“

 

“Th-That’s p-putting it lightly…”

 

“He means well… He loves you both.”

 

“Yeah, that’s d-definitely how you sh-show love,” he mumbled, covering up Georgie’s bruised side.

 

His mom frowned and wanted to get the subject on something else. She smiled a bit at him.

“When’s your play?”

 

“Th-The weekend be-before Chr-Christmas break.”

 

“That’s not that far away.”

 

Bill was quiet and Sharon sighed.

“I can get off work early for a couple days out of the week. It’s really no trouble at all.”

 

“I d-don’t w-want dad alone w-with him.”

 

“Okay.”

 

They were both quiet for a moment.

“Wh-Why do you de-defend him?”

 

Sharon blinked. “I don’t.”

 

“Y-You look the oth-other way like no-nothing’s happening.”

 

She sighed heavily. “I’m trying my best, Bill…”

 

“No. _I’m_ tr-trying my best. Y-You’re staying out of h-his w-way because it’s s-s-safer.”

 

Sharon didn’t have much to say. Bill stopped looking at her a while ago. She left, not knowing what else to say.

 

After a while, Bill scooped his little brother up in his arms. He couldn’t let him sleep anymore since he’s been out so long. He checked his forehead to find the fever was gone.

“Come on, G-Georgie.” The teen mumbled before a yawn. “F-Food will wake y-you up.”

He carried the boy on his hip as he made his way down to the kitchen. Georgie was constantly on the edge of falling back into a deep sleep but he tried his best to stay up. Bill first gave him water to drink while he looked for something they could eat. The water helped a little bit but eating is what gave Georgie more energy back. He was still very dazed the rest of the day but Bill made sure he stayed up so he would be able to sleep at night. He didn’t want his body clock to get out of whack from sleeping all day.

The rest of the day went by quickly for Georgie since he wasn’t very aware of much. Their father looked at him when he got home.

 

“Why’s this one drugged?” He asked his wife.

 

“I’m h-handling it.” Bill mumbled shortly. He didn’t want to have any more contact with their father than he had to. Zack couldn’t have cared less.

 

After dinner, the teen carried his brother up to his room. He didn’t have to convince the boy to go to sleep since he was already so exhausted. Bill smiled a bit at him. Georgie always looked the sweetest when he was sleep. He stayed with him for a bit before going to his own room.

 

 

They had school the next morning, despite the snow everywhere. The roads and sidewalks were cleared and salted, so that’s all schools and business cared about. Bill was just happy that Georgie was able to wake up on his own. He slept off the medicine and whatever cold he caught; bouncing back easily. The teen envied his ability to get better so quickly.

 

School passed by the same as normal. At the lunch table, Stan waited until everyone sat down with their trays. He, Beverly, and Bill discussed earlier at their lockers that they were going to ask if the others would be willing to watch Georgie. Bill felt guilty having his friends try to sacrifice their time to do something that he should be doing himself. Georgie was his responsibly, no one else’s.

 

“So, guys,” Stan started. “Since Bill and Beverly will be practicing their play next week, do you guys wanna help out and watch Georgie? We can take turns so we only have him for a day.”

 

“And it won’t be that long,” Beverly added. “It’s just for two hours.”

 

Richie scrunched up his face. “I don’t want to babysit!”

 

“Oh,” Bill said as he started eating. “Y-You’re n-not a part of this.”

 

Richie’s face fell and Eddie started chuckling at his reaction.

“Why not?!”

 

“G-Georgie d-doesn’t like you.” He said bluntly.

 

Eddie began laughing more now.

 

“What?! How can he not like Uncle Richie?”

 

“H-He d-doesn’t call you th-that. N-No one does.”

 

“Then what does he call me?”

 

“D-Deceased. Because y-y-you’re d-dead to him.”

Bill tried his best but couldn’t keep a serious face any longer as he teased his friend.

 

Everyone started to chuckle. Eddie smirked at his friend beside him. “Do you need ointment for your burn?”

 

Richie rolled his eyes bitterly then narrowed his eyes at him.

“Okay, so who here does he like the best?”

 

“M-Me.”

 

“Besides you!”

 

“Bev-Beverly.”

 

He rolled his eyes again. “Of course, he likes Beverly! She’s a girl! She doesn’t count.”

 

Beverly raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t I count?”

 

“Boobs,” Richie said as if it was the most obvious thing ever. The girl rolled her eyes. Eddie doubled over as milk went out of his nose. He started couching as he drowned in milk.

 

“G-Georgie’s S-SEVEN!”

 

“So?! What’s that have to do with anything?” Richie asked. “It’s instinct! How old were you when you started noticing boobs?”

 

“I n-n-need new fr-friends…” Bill grumbled as he got up to leave. Stan chuckled as he got up to follow Bill.

 

“I guess it’s good Richie wasn’t the one to give the sex talk to Georgie, huh?” He asked, walking outside with him.

 

“Th-Thank God for that…” Bill mumbled. He sighed as he thought about his brother. He hoped he was having a better day at school.

 

 

 

Georgie and Lexi were standing at the monkey bar dome during recess. Lexi wasn’t allowed to climb on the monkey bars that day since she was wearing a dress. Neither of them understood why that was a reason but apparently it was. Nonetheless, they found a way to entertain themselves. Georgie wondered if she was cold but she said she wasn’t.

“Oh.”

Lexi remembered something as she felt paper inside the pocket of her jean jacket.

“Look what my sister made me! I forgot I put it in here…” She pulled out an origami bird made out of notebook paper. The wings were flattened down so it could be placed in her pocket. The wings were easily able to go back to their normal position. It was made extremely well; each fold was tight enough as to not come apart. It was able to be flattened completely yet also pulled back into a standing pose. Lexi offered it to the boy on the palm of her hand.

 

“Cool!” Georgie was very impressed with it. He took it carefully to look at it closer. The paper toy reminded him of the boat that Bill made him. The pleasant memory was ruined by remembering that was when he met Pennywise.

“My brother made me a paper boat… But I lost it.”

 

“Aww…” Lexi pouted a bit. “Did it float?”

 

The boy nodded then went to give back the bird.

 

“You can keep that one!” Lexi smiled at him. “My sister said she would teach me how to make some this weekend. You should come!”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yeah!” She smiled warmly. “Your brother can come, too. My sister can teach us how to make a bird and your brother can teach us to make a boat!”

 

Georgie smiled and glanced down at the origami as the children were called to line up to come back inside. He folded the bird back up before sticking it in his pocket.

 

 

Once school had ended, Georgie found Bill standing with his friends. They were busy talking about something but Beverly went over to the boy. She took him over to the side.

 

“Hey, want to play a trick on Bill?” She asked in a soft whisper, mischief glinting in her eyes.

 

“I’m listening.”

 

She giggled and whispered some directions into the boy’s ear.

“Do think you can do that?” She asked when she pulled away.

 

Georgie thought about it for a moment then nodded.

“Why are we playing a trick on him, though?”

 

Beverly shushed him then checked to make sure the guys were still chatting.

“It’s just a harmless way to teach him a little lesson. It’ll be funny.” She smiled with a wink. “I promised. Just keep it a secret.”

 

The boy mirrored a smile. “Okay!”

 

“C-Can you do it, E-Eddie?” Bill asked. His friend bit his lip, not exactly sure how he’s supposed to entertain a kid for two hours but he saw that Bill needed it.

 

“Sure, Bill.” He gave him a soft smile.

 

“Th-Thanks.” Bill smiled at him then took Georgie’s hand so they could walk home.

 

On their walk home, the boy looked up his brother.

“Will you go to Lexi’s house with me this weekend?”

 

“To dr-drop you off?”

 

He shook his head.

“No. I want you to stay.”

 

“Wh-Why?” Bill looked down at him to see he seemed a little nervous. He smirked. “S-Since when do you g-get nervous seeing Lexi?”

 

“Her sister is going to going to be there, too.”

 

“Ah.”

 

“She knows how to make stuff with paper like you do! So, will you go with me?”

 

He smirked a little bit. “Sure.”

 

 

 

Victor and Belch were just about to leave the school together when Henry stopped them.

“Nope. You’re with me today, blondie. Let’s go.”

 

Victor frowned and reluctantly started to walk with the other teen.

“What are we doing?”

 

“I want to check your place for somewhere to put our rabbit when we catch him. I found a branding iron for Belch so he’s checked off the list.”

 

“…What about Patrick?” Victor was hesitant to ask but he needed to know.

 

“I’ll get with him to make sure he’s ready.”

 

The blonde teen was quiet as they walked the rest of the way to his house.

“Do you have a basement?” Henry asked when they arrived.

 

“I have a garage…”

 

“Show me.”

 

Victor sighed softly as he did what he was told. He let Henry in through the garage door and watched him look around.

 

“This can work.” He mumbled.

 

The other teen shifted his feet. “…When are we…”

 

“Soon.” Henry smirked. “It turns out two of the losers are in a little play in a few weeks. We’ll do it then.”

 

“But the auditorium will be packed…”

 

“Exactly. The little bunny will be easy to lose in the shuffle. So, you should have no problem grabbing him.”

 

Victor frowned sadly. After a moment of looking around, Henry turned to look at him. “Hey… Doesn’t someone in your family have a bunch of hunting dogs?”

 

“My uncle breeds foxhounds to sell.” He shrugged. “He keeps some to train for hunting.”

 

“Are they big?”

 

“Yeah, they can get pretty big.”

 

“Are they mean?”

 

Victor made a face, not really sure where he was going with all these questions. He knew Henry wasn’t just interested in his family.

“I wouldn’t say they are. I’ve been around them and they never seemed aggressive to me. …Why?”

 

“We can turn it mean. That’s not a big issue,” Henry mumbled to himself. “You think we can get one from your uncle?”

 

Victor didn’t like this. “I doubt it’s going to hunt a kid if that’s what you’re hoping to use it for.”

 

“It doesn’t have to hunt the brat. It just has to scare him and maybe chase him down in case he gets loose.

 

“Like I said, they’re not really mean…”

 

“ _Like I said_ , we’ll beat it until it’s mean.” Henry hissed. “Call your uncle and say you want to take up hunting so you need one of his dogs.”

 

“Where are we going to put it? No way my parents are going let me keep a dog!”

 

“Tie it to a tree in the woods somewhere.” He motioned for him to go inside. “Call your uncle now.”

 

Victor sighed nervously as Henry followed him back into the house. It felt as if he was at gunpoint even though he wasn’t. That’s how it felt being with Henry alone. One wrong move and it’d be over. The bully didn’t leave his side so Victor had no choice but to pick up the phone. Henry went over to the kitchen cabinets to raid it. Victor prayed that his uncle wouldn’t be home. He winced when dial tone was interrupted by a hello.

Henry found a bag of chips to go through as he leaned against the counter, watching the other teen. Victor spoke quietly and unenthusiastically, hoping that the tone of his voice would be enough to deter his uncle into giving him a dog. After a few moments of conversation, Victor placed the phone against his chest as he looked over to Henry.

“He has one that’s taking him longer to train than the rest,” He mumbled. “He said I could have that one once he’s done training.”

 

Henry shook his head. “Tell him you’ll take it now. You’ll be there to pick it up next week.”

 

The other teen sighed heavily, tangling the spiral cord around his fingers apprehensively.

“I’ll take him… Can I come get him in a week?” There was a pause.

“…Okay. That’s fine… Thanks. Bye.” Victor hung up the phone then looked at Henry.

“He said okay… The dog’s name is Duke. He weighs 65-“

 

“No.” Henry stopped him there as he tossed the bag of chips to the side, walking over to him. “It doesn’t have a name and no one cares anything about it. No one is getting attached to this mutt because when we’re done, we’re shooting it.” He said as she poked a finger in his chest. “You’re not getting a pet next week. You’re getting a tool, got it?”

 

Victor was silent. He watched Henry leave before sitting down at the kitchen table with absolute dread.

 

 

 

During dinner at the Denbrough’s, Georgie chewed his bottom lip as he glanced up from his plate. Everyone was quiet while they ate so he had the opportunity to try the trick Beverly wanted him to do. The boy mentally rehearsed what he was going to say as he built up confidence to say it. He glanced back down to his plate.

“Pass the salt, daddy.” He said it softly and in the same tone he usually used when he wanted to get his way. His brother was the only one he could really convince to cave in on something so he mostly used the tone with him.

 

The boy looked up as Bill reached over to grab it but so did Zack. When their hands collided, Bill’s face changed from an absentminded gaze to a look of complete horror and embarrassment as he belatedly registered what Georgie said.

He quickly recoiled his hand into his lap and had a staring contest with his food. His face was already red but it only grew darker as he heard Georgie laughing and felt their father’s gaze. The teen was still trying to comprehend everything that happened. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t pay attention to the name Georgie used. It was in the same cute tone he used on him so he just assumed he was talking to him. The boy never even referred to Zack as daddy. It was always just dad; if he was addressed by a name at all. Bill covered his burning face, not being able to move his legs from shock.

 

Zack kept his eyes narrowed on Bill. He glanced to Georgie for a moment but the boy’s laugh was complete innocence. Georgie found it hilarious whenever his brother blushed. It was such a vulnerable side to him. By the time Zack returned his gaze onto his oldest son, the teen managed to get up and leave as quickly as he could.

 

After dinner, Georgie was met by Bill when he reached the top of the stairs.

“I kn-know y-you didn’t c-come up with that on y-your own. Is-Is that what y-you and B-Beverly were talking ab-about?””

 

The boy giggled and slid past his brother.

“Not telling!”

 

Bill smirked as he followed him.

“C-Come on! It w-was her w-wasn’t it?! Sh-She put you up t-to it.”

The teen followed Georgie to his room but a hand stopped him from entering. The boy smiled and pointed down the hall to Bill’s room.

 

“You sleep over there.”

 

Bill huffed playfully and shifted his weight to one foot.

“T-Tell me Beverly’s b-behind this.”

 

“Goodnight…” Georgie whispered as he started closing his door. “…Daddy,” he mumbled right before the door latched.

 

Bill groaned and allowed his head to hit the door. He couldn’t help but to chuckle. He just knew Beverly was the one behind it. The worst part was he didn’t know which was more humiliating; the fact that he fell for it or that he had no idea how to get back at her.

“G-Goodnight…” Bill whispered to the door just before he turned to go to his own room. His smiled faded when he noticed Zack coming up the stairs. He glared at him then looked away as he went to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (long note)
> 
> Someone wanted me to put the "daddy" thing in there and I found it hilarious so I did XD
> 
> Also, don't spend too much time trying to figure out Bill's dream in this one :3 it's mine XD  
> I actually had the dream last week and I was going to include it last chapter but I was too tired too x3  
> This dream creeped me out when I woke from it, but looking back on it now it's really not that creepy or scary. I did find it interesting that I was Bill in parts of my dream. Which are the parts I included x3 I'm not sure if anyone else has had dreams where they're other people before. It was interesting because I noticed a height difference as I was "Bill" cuz I'm shorter. It wasn't any drastic height difference, of course. But it was interesting that I was viewing the dream through a different body and a taller perspective. I'm probably horrible at describing it and it probably makes no sense XD but everything Bill said, did, felt in the dream is what I experienced as him. That's probably why it creeped me out so much when I woke up.   
> I didn't include what Belch said to me/Bill because some details got hazy. I think it was along the lines of "What are you doing here, loser?" But I'm not sure so I didn't include it. I also didn't include what happened next because, again, details on exactly what was said are kinda foggy. It got weird next... I was also in my own body a little bit later so I didn't include anymore. 
> 
> I don't know what this dream means XD It's probably a sign that I'm obsessed with It and I should stop everything and seek help immediately. Oh well XD
> 
> But don't worry! I can still work with this dream and make slight references back to it, like the other dreams, so it's not completely out of place :3  
> Feel free to theorize about it if you want :3 I just wanted to let you know this in case it looked different than Bill's previous dreams


	19. Sweet Sacrifice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super long chapter this time! :3

The next day at school, Bill headed straight for Beverly’s locker where he found her.

“I f-f-fucking hate you.” He said with a point of his finger.

 

Beverly laughed, closing her locker door. “I’m guessing you fell for Georgie’s little stunt?”

 

“Yeah, and s-so did our d-dad!”

 

That only made the girl laugh even more. “I wish I could have seen it…” She giggled at the boy’s slight glare. “Don’t look at me like that!”

 

“I kn-know it was y-you!” He smirked. “Th-That wasn’t funny.”

 

She grinned widely as she held her notebook across her chest.

“Consider it a wake-up call for you.”

 

“W-Wake-up c-call for what?”

 

“Be Georgie’s brother not his _dad_.” She smirked at him as she brushed by him. Bill rolled his eyes with a scoff before heading for his own class.

 

 

 

On the playground, Lexi seemed glum unlike her usual bright attitude.

“What’s wrong?” Georgie asked her, frowning when he saw she wasn’t happy.

 

“I miss Ash…”

 

Georgie blinked a couple times before he remembered that used to be Lexi’s best friend. The one he helped kill. He never really cared for her.

“Oh, yeah.”

 

“I wonder why she hasn’t come back to school.” Lexi mumbled. “Where do you think she is?”

 

The boy shrugged. “Maybe she moved,” he lied.

 

Lexi frowned. “Without saying goodbye?”

 

Georgie didn’t have anything to respond with. He felt guilty for not caring that much about her friend.

 

“I haven’t heard from anyone from my party either…”

 

The boy looked at her. He could see that it really bothered her. He felt absolutely terrible.

“I’m sorry…” He whispered.

 

“I hope they’re okay…” Lexi’s smile had returned once she finished picking honeysuckles with Georgie so they could take them inside.

 

Georgie’s guilt about aiding in the death of all Lexi’s friends only made him feel worse about going to her house Saturday.

“I’m going to make it up to you.” He promised.

 

The girl tilted her head. “Make what up to me?”

 

“Everything I’ve done…”

 

Lexi didn’t understand what the boy was talking about but she could see he was bothered by something. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it, giving him a smile that only deepened his guilt.

 

 

 

On Saturday, Georgie was still nervous to go to Lexi’s house. Bill smirked down at him on their walk over.

“Wh-What’s gotten into y-you?”

 

The boy squeezed his brother’s hand for comfort. “Do you think you’ll be able to make another paper boat?”

 

“Of c-course.”

 

Georgie whined. “That didn’t go so well last time…” He was referring to when he met Pennywise.

 

The teen looked at his brother. “Is th-that why you’re s-so on edge?” He let go of Georgie’s hand to be able to run it through the boy’s hair. “It’s n-not r-raining, I’m not s-s-sick, th-this isn’t a re-repeat of that night. I’m h-here.”

 

The boy attempted a smile although he still felt bad. However, his anxiety melted away from the excitement of seeing Lexi again when they arrived. Bill chuckled, letting the boy embrace his friend.

 

“Okay, okay. Break it up.” Lexi’s older sister placed her hands on the children’s heads, smiling at them. They giggled then finally released each other. Georgie quickly followed Lexi inside, leaving the teens at the door.

 

The older girl smirked then moved to allow the other teen in. “I’m Brandy.”

 

“I’m B-Bill.” He gave a polite smile that soon faded. There wasn’t much he could do about his stutter but he couldn’t help but feel self-conscious about it. Thankfully, Brandy didn’t seem to mind. Or, at least, she didn’t mention it.

 

He followed the teen into the kitchen where the dining table and kids were at. They were already sitting at the table, reaching for paper.

 

Brandy looked to Bill. “We go to the same school just different grades, right?”

 

“Uh, y-yeah. I’m a fr-freshman.”

 

“Ah. You’re freshmeat.” She smirked at him playfully and he chuckled a bit.

 

Brandy sat at the table next to her sister and Bill sat beside his brother. The kids were already haphazardly folding paper.

“What do two want to make?”

 

“A giraffe!!” Georgie demanded.

 

“I… c-can’t do that.” Bill laughed at his brother’s silly request.

 

“A butterfly!” Lexi wanted.

 

“I don’t think any of those are in here…” Brandy had a fairly large book of origami she started to flip through.

 

Bill looked at her. “Y-You have a b-book of them?”

 

“I made a paper airplane _one time_ and my grandma insisted to get me this giant thing...” She quickly flipped the pages for emphasis.

 

Bill laughed. “Th-That’s pr-pretty bad.”

 

“You have no idea.” She grinned. She opened the book to a random page. “This thing doesn’t really help, anyways. Step one: fold the paper in half. Okay, step two: fold in half again. Step three… construct the Eiffel Tower.”

 

He chuckled and reached for the book. “L-Lemme see.” Bill only needed a moment to look at the directions.

“Oh, G-God…”

 

“See?!” Brandy laughed.

 

“Make a boat!” Lexi suggested.  


“I don’t know how to make that.”

 

“Billy does!” Georgie smiled.

 

Brandy raised an eyebrow at the teen. “Do you, now?”

 

“M-Maybe.”

 

“Then do it!” She challenged with a smile, passing him some paper. “Show us how to make a boat, _Billy_.”

 

The teen made an uncomfortable noise that made Brandy laugh.

 

“You should make another bird, Brandy!” Lexi smiled at her.

 

The older girl hummed then grabbed a piece of paper. “I can do that.”

 

The kids switched seats with each other.

“Will you make me a boat?” Lexi asked nicely.

 

“S-Sure.”

 

Brandy smiled over at the boy now beside her.

“Would you like a dove?” She asked.

 

“Yes!” Georgie blurted excitedly. A soft blush came to his cheeks as he remembered manners. “…Please.”

 

Brandy giggled and started to work on making the dove.

 

Bill took his time folding the paper so Lexi could follow along better. The teen appreciated how quiet and patient she was being. That was a lot more than what he could say about Georgie. The boy was usually too impatient or too curious to sit and wait for anything. Bill glanced over at his brother who sat next to Brandy, watching her make a bird. He was being surprisingly very well behaved. A smile pulled on the corners of Bill’s mouth. He knew why the boy was being so quiet. He wasn’t that interested in the paper she was folding. Georgie thought that Brandy was pretty. She _was_ pretty. A soft smirk escaped, colliding with the sound of folding paper. Brandy looked up at him but Bill immediately put his eyes back down.

“S-Sorry,” he mumbled. He finished up the paper boat and handed it to the girl once he wrote her name on it.

 

“Yay! Thank you!” Lexi was ecstatic when the paper boat reached her hands. “Will it float?”

 

“With w-wax.”

 

The girl looked to her sister but Brandy shook her head.

“We don’t have any but your crayons should work the same.”

 

“Really?!”

 

She nodded and finished the dove soon after, writing Georgie’s name in cursive on the wing before giving it to him.

 

“Thanks!”

 

“Let’s go color them!” Lexi tugged on Georgie’s sleeve to get him to follow her.

 

Brandy smiled as she watched her sister run off to the living room with the boy. Her attention then went back to Bill.

“Now, make me something.”

 

“A b-boat?”

 

“No, I want something else.” She began to look through her origami book. “I want the Eiffel Tower.”

 

“N-No.”

 

She laughed. “Okay. How about this?” She showed him a star box.

 

“I gu-guess I can tr-try that.”

 

She smiled. “What would you like me to make?”

 

“A pterodactyl.”

 

“Are you serious?” Brandy laughed. “I can’t do that.”

 

“Th-Then I guess y-you’re not g-getting a star b-box…”

 

She rolled her eyes playfully. “I can make my own star box, fool.”

 

The other teen chuckled.

 

“Let’s see who can make the best one.”

 

“D-Deal.”

 

They both started on each other’s star box, following the directions the best they could. When they finally finished them, Bill started to write Brandy’s name on the one he made.

“Is it Br-Brandy with a-a ‘y’ or an ‘I’?”

 

“With a ‘y’,” She smirked and also went to write his name. “Bill with a ‘y’ or an ‘I’?”

 

“’Y’,” he deadpanned.

 

Brandy laughed then tossed the star box over to him when she was done. The boy looked at it and shook his head at the name he saw.

Byll

 

“Y-You actually put that.” He laughed.

 

“That’s what you get, loser.” She gave him a smile that he mirrored. Her eyes then went over to watch the kids coloring in the living room.

“You know, she really likes him. He’s all she really has now.”

 

Bill’s smile faded. “Wh-What do you m-mean?”

 

She shrugged. “Well, considering her best friend has just fallen off the face of the earth.” She looked at the teen to discover he was completely lost.

“Wait. You didn’t hear about it?”

 

He shook his head. “I gu-guess I w-wouldn’t have a r-reason to.”

 

“Georgie is in the same class… Has he not noticed that Ashlynn isn’t there anymore?”

 

It was Bill’s turn to shrug. “He h-hasn’t told me an-anything about it. Wh-What happened?”

 

“I have no clue.” She crossed her arms in thought. “My mom called Ashlynn’s mom to see if she would be able to make it to Lexi’s party but… she hasn’t seen her. She’s called the police and have yet to hear anything back. She’s just gone.” Brandy spoke quietly as to not have the kids in the other room hear her. “The last time she saw her was when she dropped her off at school. That’s also the same day Lexi last saw her. She was with her at recess and they got in a little argument about something.” The teen rolled her eyes. “They’d fight and make up within minutes all the time. Lexi said she went to play with Georgie instead but when recess was over she didn’t see Ashlynn anywhere.”

 

“H-Has the school s-s-said anything?”

 

Brandy shook her head. “Ashlynn’s mom went the school furious wanting to know where her daughter was, but you wanna know what the school said?” She leaned forward. “The teacher _forgot_ to take attendance that morning. There’s no record that Ashlynn was at school at all that day so _technically_ the school isn’t even liable.”

 

“Th-They’re s-s-seriously not going to h-help?”

 

“Nope.”

 

Bill hated the school before but this only increased that hatred. They didn’t even help Georgie with the intruder. All they ever did was deny and cover their asses.

 

The older girl sighed. “I suppose it’s justified that the cops can’t do anything since there’s no leads to go from.”

 

“E-Even the party?”

 

“Same thing. Parents are pissed and they’re pissed with us because we last had them. I don’t blame them… It’s literally up to their imagination on what happened to their son or daughter. They have no answers, and I don’t think they’re going to get them. The cops are no help.” Brandy brushed her fingers through her hair anxiously. “I’ve been trying to figure out what these instances have in common…”

 

“You th-think they’re r-related?”

 

“I don’t know… How can that many kids disappear without a trace? Without anyone seeing it or hearing anything… Something just doesn’t feel right.” Her eyes checked back on the kids.

“The only thing I can come up with is that Lexi and Georgie are around when all this is happening but they’re just kids. They’re obviously not doing this. It’s just happening around them. It scares me… No…” Her eyes went back to Bill’s. “It terrifies me. I’m scared it’s going to happen to them and we’re not going to know it until it’s too late.”

 

Bill could see how concern she was. He wasn’t exactly worry-free either.

 

“You know that feeling when you’re out in the ocean and you can’t reach or see the bottom and you get that fear that you’re not safe? That something is lurking nearby and there’s no way you’d be able to get away. You’re just terrified and vulnerable, waiting for something that might never happen but that slight chance it could happen just completely cripples you. That’s how I feel…”

 

He was able to fully relate to Brandy’s fear.

“Y-Yeah, I f-feel that, too...”

Bill was quiet as he started to think about everything.

“G-Georgie encountered an in-intruder at the school… Y-You think it m-might be him that t-took Ash-Ashlynn?”

 

“There was an intruder?”

 

The teen nodded. “B-But they said G-Georgie was j-just crazy. I d-don’t think they ac-actually looked for him, though.”

 

“Ugh…” Brandy looked disgusted. “That’s sick. What if he did take Ashlynn? … But the party… Surely even a kidnapper wouldn’t be able to take that many kids from a party so easily…”

 

“I d-don’t know about th-that b-but know that cl-clown was at L-Lexi’s p-party.” Bill was mostly thinking aloud to himself.

 

Brandy looked at him.

“We didn’t hire a clown for her party. What are you talking about?”

 

“…Officer B-Bowers came to t-talk to Georgie to con-confirm the cl-clown was there. Th-they both saw him. I’ve also s-s-seen him be-before… H-He’s… not a tr-traditional clown…” He really didn’t know how to explain the creature to her.

 

Brandy looked as if she was trying to mask panic. Before Bill could continue, she interjected. “What did it look like?”

 

“It?”

 

“The clown…”

 

She didn’t wait for him to stutter out a response before she got up, touching his shoulder to signal to follow her.

“Come with me.”

 

Bill followed the teen through the house to her room. He stopped in the doorway and glanced around. It looked as he expected it to. It was a teenage girl’s room that was drastically cleaner than his. Brandy went over to her desk to open a drawer that had a lock on it. She retrieved a small key from her bra to open it. The teen shuffled through some junk before she pulled out a polaroid picture. She stared at it for a moment as if to make sure whatever captured was still there.

“Come here.” She didn’t lift her eyes as she called for Bill. The teen walked over and she handed the picture to him.

“Is this it?” She asked in a worried whisper.

 

Bill took the photo in his hand and stared at the clown captured in it. It was creepy but it wasn’t the same clown. How many creepy clowns were roaming around? He shook his head then looked at her.

“Wh-Why do you h-have this?”

 

“I thought I might need it…” She looked both relieved and twice as worried at the same time. “In case I needed to prove it’s real. I haven’t seen it again, thank God, but here.” She handed him the polaroid camera from her desk. “Take this. Try to catch it on camera if you can. Maybe it’ll help. Just be careful because-“

A loud ring from the phone interrupted her. The sound made Bill jump slightly. Brandy snatched the photo from the boy’s hand and tossed it quickly in the drawer, slamming it shut with her hip as she locked it.

“It moves if you don’t watch it,” she continued, brushing passed Bill to answer the phone that was in the kitchen.

 

Bill followed her, glancing down at the camera she gave him. Brandy answered the phone only for a moment. There was nothing but silence on the other end. She sighed, slamming the phone down.

 

“H-How do I st-stop it?” Bill asked in a whisper.

 

Brandy turned to him. “You have to confront it, but have as many people with you as you can possibly gather. Distractions work both ways. Anything it can use to distract you, you can use to distract it.”

 

Bill stared at the camera with worry as Brandy walked up to him. She placed her hands on his shoulders.

“I don’t know what’s going on but something is happening. Something _bad_. If this clown you’re talking about is anything like the one in my picture then we’re all going die. But they say fear is just in our minds, right? I don’t know the secret to not be afraid. All I know is, it can’t attack if you’re brave and it can’t hurt you if it’s too distracted to make its move.”

 

Bill made a noise of despair.

 

“I’ll help you.” Brandy promised with a tiny smile. “Just find where it is.”

 

“I d-don’t know where t-to l-look…”

 

“Me either…” She sighed, letting her hands fall to her side. “If you find out anything, let me know. I’ll do the same.”

 

He nodded and returned a small smile. “Th-Thanks.”

 

“It’s going to be okay. We’ll beat this.” Brandy smiled more genuinely to ease Bill’s worry then she looked in the living room where the kids were still playing.

“Why don’t you two come back next weekend for dinner? The weekend after that we can we can go to your place. I think they’re ready to move up to the next level.”

 

Bill smirked as he watched his brother and Lexi. “D-Dinner with the f-family… That’s the r-real t-test.” He looked over at Brandy. “My p-parents are terrible, so l-let’s say me and G-Georgie don’t h-have any.”

 

Brandy smiled with the shake of her head. “Alright then. We’ll just do dinner here.”

 

Bill nodded and smiled as he stepped in the living room. “G-Georgie, we n-need to head home.”

 

The boy frowned when he was told they had to leave but got ready anyways. He and Lexi clung to each other for a goodbye. The teen waited for his brother at the door.

 

“Later, loser.” Brandy said as Bill started to walk out. She placed an L shape with her hand against her forehead. Bill smirked back at her as he left.

 

 

Georgie looked at what Bill was holding on their way home.

“What’s that?”

 

“A c-camera.”

 

“Cool!” Georgie smiled up at him. “Thanks for coming with me.”

 

Bill ruffled his hair. “No pr-problem.”

 

 

That night, once Georgie went to his room for bed, Pennywise walked over to him.

“Here.”

 

Georgie looked up as the clown dropped a coin to him. He fumbled but caught it.

“A quarter? What’s this for?”

 

A slow, terrifying grin grew on Pennywise’s face.

“It’s to help you choose. Heads for Bill. Tails for Lexi.”

 

The boy blinked, biting his lip nervously. He didn’t understand what he meant and he was scared to find out.

“...What do you mean? …”

 

“You have a choice to make, Georgie. Pick one to save.” He held up a finger to demonstrate. “If you’re not sure who to pick then flip the coin to decide who dies.”

 

Georgie felt his heart start pounding as he listened to the clown’s instructions. A closer inspection showed that the coin Georgie was holding wasn’t a quarter at all. On one side it had Bill and the other had Lexi. He squeezed the coin in his hand.

“Since when do I have to choose?!”

 

“Since _NOW!_ ”

 

Georgie flinched at his sudden raise in voice. He didn’t like the unexpected switch in emotions the clown did.

“That’s not a part of our deal! You can’t hurt or kill Bill!”

 

“I can do what I want.” He scoffed. “You should be thanking me that I’m giving you a choice in the matter. Who’s more important to you?”

 

The boy shook his head.

“I don’t want to choose… I want them both!”

 

He chuckled. “That’ll cost you an arm _and_ a leg. You sure you want that?” The clown grinned at how close the boy was to crying. He kneeled down to him and grabbed him by the chin to make him look at him.

“You don’t have to do any of this.” He shook his head slowly as his voice changed to something soothing. “Just drop the coin. Let fate choose for you.”

 

“…I don’t believe you…” He whimpered. “You’ll make it land on Billy…”

 

The clown grinned. “There’s a 50% chance of that. 50% for Lexi, as well. If you don’t want to take the gamble then pick who lives yourself. Who’s more important for you to save?”

 

“…Who’s more beneficial for you to have die?” Georgie knew there was reason for this. He just didn’t know what it was.

 

Pennywise’s smile faded into a hard look as he released the boy and stood up straight.

“I want your decision now.”

 

“Tell me why! Why have you always wanted Bill dead? And why Lexi now?” Georgie tried to calm his tremors as he stared up at the clown. “Why make me choose? Why make a deal with me if you’re just going to break it?”

 

“Choose one to save or lose _both_.” Pennywise wasn’t letting him stall anymore. He held up his hand.

 

“Answer me!”

 

Pennywise was quiet as he counted down with his fingers, starting with his thumb. He waited only a second before bringing down the next finger. This fast-paced countdown made the boy panic. He had to choose on first instinct.

 

“Bill!” Georgie cried out his answer just before Pennywise could put down his last finger. The boy lowered his head to his lap as he gasped. Both sides of the coin were now Lexi as it seared his hand.

“Ow!” He dropped the melting coin. Soon, it dissolved into nothing. A little chuckle made the boy look back up.

 

“What a _stupid_ boy. After all this time you still choose your brother? And for what? All because you _think_ he loves you? Only one person ever cared about you and that’s Lexi.” He grinned widely. “But thanks to you, she’s going to die prematurely.”

Although Pennywise tried to mask it, he was disappointed in the child’s decision. He was annoyed. He was pissed. He was hopping Georgie’s bond with Lexi was deeper. Bill was the one he wanted dead. He was going to start becoming a problem. He was beginning to learn too much thanks to Brandy. If he killed Bill, then Brandy and Lexi could be spared. They wouldn’t cause any trouble on their own. Killing Brandy would help but it wouldn’t be what Pennywise needed. He also couldn’t just kill the teenage girl freely. Her death would be too much for Lexi. The girl’s fraught would distract Georgie and Pennywise couldn’t have that. Pennywise was beginning to think this deal was turning out to be more trouble than it’s worth. Either way, the situation Pennywise was in was less than desirable. He’d have to play nice to get the child back on his side. The clown sighed and cupped Georgie’s face just as tears were stacking up on his waterline.

“Don’t cry over this. _You_ decided this. _You_ are the reason Lexi is going to die. Don’t make a decision then cry about it.”

 

Georgie was shaking. The clown’s version of a pep talk only made things worse.

“I’m not strong enough…” He whispered, his voice shaking just as much as he was. A tear escaped as he stared up at the clown. Pennywise caught the tear on the high point of the boy’s cheek.

 

“You will be...” Pennywise brought his finger up that caught the tear. It formed a perfect droplet. He blew sharply, gold pixie dust bursting from the droplet. The boy flinched as the dust fluttered in his face, fully expecting it to be something worse. He blinked cautiously when he didn’t feel any pain. The gold sparkles clung to his eyelashes and threaded in his hair.

 

“Why?” Georgie asked again in a whisper. He didn’t understand why Pennywise switched over to being nicer. The switches confused and frightened him. “Why me?”

 

“You have potential to be a good minion.” The clown mumbled. “But you’re spoiled.”

 

Georgie frowned. The pixie dust dried the boy’s eyes without permission. It prevented him from crying. The dust was intended to bring happiness but Georgie was too deeply upset. All it did was cancel out his tears and leave him with a dull, emptiness feeling. He never felt this deep of a sadness before. It was filled with guilt because he believed he was the cause of it all.  

 

“You need discipline to learn you can’t always have your way. Life’s full of difficult decisions and surprises.” Pennywise smirked at him. “You just had a big decision. Maybe you’ll get a surprise next.”

 

The boy was discombobulated.

“What am I supposed to do now? …”

 

“Sleep,” the clown coaxed. “You need it.”

 

Georgie flopped over to his side on the bed. He didn’t really feel like sleeping. He knew what was going to happen soon. The boy stared at his window blankly as Pennywise covered him with the blanket.

“…Why are you being nice now?”

 

“I’m supposed to make kids happy.” He explained. “That’s my job. So, of course it bothers me when you’re upset.”

 

The boy blinked at him.

“I still don’t believe your lies…”

 

“But you want to.” Pennywise grinned. Georgie looked away with a sigh, closing his eyes.

 

Just as the clown was about to leave, the boy asked him a question.

 

“What if someone asks?” He asked in a mumble. He was so emotionally strained.

 

“Do what you’ve been doing.” He simpered. “Lie.”

 

By the time Georgie opened his eyes again, Pennywise was gone. He didn’t want to think about anything. He just wanted to turn his mind off.

 

 

 

Brandy and Lexi’s parents had gone out to eat, leaving the girls home. This wasn’t anything out of the ordinary and Brandy didn’t mind it. She enjoyed spending as much time with her sister before she would leave for college.

The teen had just put Lexi to bed. She went back into the kitchen to make herself a snack, even though they just had dinner. Brandy planned to stay up. She wanted to figure out more on what was happening in Derry. The teen made a mental note to go by the library tomorrow to do in-depth research. For now, all she could do was theorize.

She carried a bowl of chips to her room, leaving the door open in case Lexi needed her. Brandy sat at her desk and pulled out a small journal to write in. First, she bulleted the strange events she knew about. Ashlynn’s disappearance, all the kids from the party going missing, and the mystery man that Georgie had encountered. While she wrote, she mindless ate chips with her other hand. She didn’t know much about Georgie’s encounter. In fact, she didn’t know much about any of the events.

The teen sighed and closed her eyes as she remembered a nightmare she had years ago. It was the first one she had that she could still recall no matter how many years pass. She’s had other nightmares that were reoccurring but this one was different. She had the dream when she was a child. Brandy didn’t know exactly how old she was when she had the dream. The majority of the details were inaccessible but she remembered one thing clearly. Teeth; much like a shark’s. It swallowed her whole. Now that she thought about it more, she suspected she had the nightmare when her family vacationed to the beach. It scared her but that wasn’t the reason she had a fear about the ocean. Sharks freaked her out after that, though. The teen would just avoid the water at night thanks to tales of sharks swimming closer to shore around that time. Her fear of the ocean didn’t occur until fairly recently.

 

 

Brandy was sixteen while Lexi was six. They were having their annual vacation at the beach with their parents. Lexi wanted to go out in the water so Brandy opted to take her. Lexi was fearless when it came to the ocean. She liked to run from the crashing waves then chase them back into the ocean. But that wasn’t the girl’s favorite part. The girl really loved when Brandy would carry her out into the water. Lexi was only just being introduced to learning to swim so she got to enjoy holding on to her sister instead of having to worry about swimming. She trusted Brandy fully and kept encouraging her to go out further in the ocean. Brandy was, of course, nervous about going deeper in the water while holding her sister. She knew they would have to go through a spot where the waves always crashed. Not wanting to disappoint her little sister that looked to her like some superwoman, she carefully walked in. When a wave came close to crashing, she would turn her back to it. The splash of the cold water always made Lexi giggle like crazy. She loved it. Brandy smiled, instructing her sister to hold around her neck when they finally got to the last spot where her feet touched the sand. They stayed there for a while, happily bobbing above the waves that came by. It wasn’t until Lexi saw more people go even further that she wanted Brandy to join. The teenager was about to but stopped when she saw a big wave forming.

“See that wave?” Brandy asked and Lexi nodded. The people that were further out were able to float above it.

“We’re too far away to swim over that one like they just did. We’ll have to go under it.”

 

“Okay!” Lexi was more excited than nervous.

 

Brandy chuckled at her bravery. “When this happens, wait until you feel the undertow start to pull then dig your feet in the sand.” The teen did this while she informed her sister. “When it gets close enough, you dip underneath while it passes by then you pop up.”

 

“Pop!”

 

“We’ll go under on three. One…”

She watched the wave get closer. It grew bigger than she expected but she tried to not show she was worried. She’s done this before many times. Why would this be any different just because she had her sister?

“Two… Three.” On her count, she dipped underneath. She held Lexi close to her, expecting to pop back up in just a few seconds once she felt the wave pass. But this one was different. This wave was larger and stronger. Despite Brandy’s efforts to stay in place, the wave knocked her off her feet. She clung to Lexi with one arm while the other searched for anything to grab to stop them from being carried with the wave. The current flipped the teen, making her lose grip on her sister. Everything happened as rapid as the waves were unforgiving. Brandy wasn’t even able to push herself up to get air. The water continued to drag her through the rough sand. She clawed the sand, desperately trying to stop. Thoughts of dying was the only thing going through her head. She was sure she was going to drown, not being able to hold her breath much longer. Finally, the wave that carried her to the shore began to pull back. Brandy felt glued to the sand as she lifted her head up, coughing and gasping for air. The wave completely knocked the energy out of her. Another wave came immediately after and crashed over her head, pushing her back down. The teen had to force herself to get up otherwise she would have drowned there. She coughed some more and stood on wobbly feet, quickly fixing and readjusting her swimsuit. Waves continued to crash against her legs, pushing her further to the shore. Fear quickly seeped in as Brandy looked around. The water had moved her to a different location on the beach but her parents were the least of her worries. She didn’t have Lexi. The teen began to panic as she called her name. She didn’t see her and she didn’t know where she was. Questions about if Lexi was carried to a different part of the beach or if she made it to the shore at all started to fill the teen’s mind. She began wondering if she was too late. Tears streamed down Brandy’s face as she screamed her sister’s name. People stared at her but did nothing to help.

The teen ran back into the ocean despite the waters shoving her back. She went in knee-deep before she shoved her hands in the water, hoping to miraculously find her.

“Please let me find her, please let me find her,” Brandy began praying and begging underneath her breath. “Please, God, I can’t lose her!”

She cried more when she still couldn’t find her. Something made her glance up from her search and she noticed something out of place. It was a red balloon further down the shoreline. Brandy didn’t understand what it was doing there or why she felt the need to run towards it. She left the water to be able to sprint faster. Brandy begged aloud for Lexi to not be dead. It was all her fault. She shouldn’t have brought her so deep into the ocean. The teen jumped back into the ocean when she got to where the balloon was. It was wrapped around something barely floating knee-deep in the water. Brandy scooped up what turned out to be her sister. The moment the little girl was lifted out of the water, she started coughing. She was alive. Brandy clutched Lexi to her chest as she quickly unraveled the balloon string from her, tossing it to the wind. Once she was free, the teen rushed out of the water before she collapsed on the sand. Brandy repeatedly apologized as she cried, hugging her sister.

 

 

Brandy wiped her eyes as she snapped out of her memory. She had never felt more fear and panic in her life than she did in that moment. That’s when she became scared of the ocean. She feared the unforgiving waters would take her or Lexi. Fortunately, Lexi didn’t remember much about the experience so the fear of the water never developed in her. That was also the day when Brandy saw It. It followed her home when they returned from the vacation.

 

The teen blinked out of her thoughts as she listened. The house was oddly quiet. She knew she was the only one awake but something felt odd. Brandy grabbed the empty chip bowl and carried it with her back to the kitchen.

 

In Lexi’s room, the girl was fast asleep. Two, soft knocks came from inside the room but they weren’t enough to wake her. There was a pause then two more knocks; these being much louder and aggressive. Lexi was startled awake by the noise. She sat up in bed and stared at where the sound came from; her closet.

“Hello? ...”

 

As Brandy was rinsing out the bowl in the sink, she heard a floorboard creak behind her. The teen shut off the water and slowly turned her head. Her eyes widened when she saw the red balloon. It was the same red balloon she’s seen before. The balloon was just floating in place. It slowly turned around to reveal a message:

YOU LOSE

 

Brandy’s heart was already racing as she tiptoed around the balloon. Once she made it into the hallway, she bolted for her room.

 

Lexi climbed off her bed and turned on her lamp so she could investigate the knocking from her closet. She held her hands up to her chest as she slowly approached the closet door. She started to reach her hand out but jumped when she heard her sister sprint down the hallway. She turned to look. She didn’t know why she did that but she was too curious about her closet to go ask her. Lexi gently knocked on the door and waited, wondering if she just imagined it. Unfortunately, she got a soft knock as a response. The girl bit her lip as she slowly opened the door. She didn’t see anything but she heard a coin drop and roll onto the floor. The coin rolled into her foot before settling onto its side.

“A quarter?”

 

Lexi leaned down to grab the coin, soon figuring out it wasn’t a quarter. She examined it. One side had her face etched into the coin. The back had the words ‘YOU LOSE’ etched on it.

A noise from the closet made the little girl look up. Her eyes widened at the sight of the creature stepping out of her closet.

 

Brandy barreled into her room, heading straight for her desk. She fumbled to get the key and unlock the drawer. She didn’t understand why she saw that balloon again. She hadn’t seen any signs of It since she caught it on camera. She quickly pulled out the photo and stared at it, not having the strength to move.

She would have stayed there longer but the scream of her sister forced her to run.

“Lexi?!”

The teen dropped the photo and it fluttered to the floor. Nothing was captured in the picture. Whatever was there was gone now.

 

She practically leaped down the hall to reach her sister’s room quicker.

“Lexi!”

She would have made it. Her foot passed the threshold of Lexi’s room but something threw her back against the wall. Lexi’s door slammed shut the same time Brandy’s back slammed against the wall. The teen fell onto a small table holding a plant in the hall. The table collapsed with her. Brandy winced from pain as she forced herself to move. She saw the clown from her photo out of the corner of her left eye.

Brandy let out a scream as she used the wall for support to run back towards the kitchen. Lights flickered when she entered the kitchen. She ran straight for the knife holder, sliding out one when she spun around. All lights immediately went out. Everything was silent except for Brandy’s heavy breathing. She was holding out the knife for defense as she slowly took a couple steps forward.

 

“Give back my sister.” She spoke slowly, her eyes searching for It. Even though her eyes adjusted, it was still extremely dark. “You can take me instead,” she continued. “But spare Lexi.” Brandy heard a noise that came from two different locations. She checked with her eyes but didn’t see anything.

“…Pennywise…”

 

The moment she spoke his name, the lights flickered on for a second to show him standing right in front of her. There was another one just in her peripheral vision. The lights immediately went out again and Brandy began to float up towards the ceiling. The teen dropped the knife when she felt it was getting harder to breathe. She brought her hands to cover her mouth to help hold her breath. It felt like she was underwater. She squeezed her eyes shut, not able to hold her breath for too long. Brandy opened her eyes, air bubbles escaping her mouth. Suddenly, the teen dropped into a mouth full of teeth waiting below her.


	20. Sunburst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time really writing a lot of Eddie so I hope his character isn't too off :3 I tried

Bill’s dream seemed to start somewhere in the middle instead of the beginning. This dream was different from the others in the fact that it was bright. It wasn’t the usual dark surroundings. The teen was with Georgie, sitting on the floor of what registered to be the boy’s room. Sunlight was almost blinding as it beamed in every corner. It didn’t occur to Bill that he was dreaming as he and his brother were happily taking turns adding Lego pieces to something they were creating. Bill wasn’t sure what it was yet since they hadn’t finished. Whatever it was, it was green. As they were building, they were promising each other things that were ridiculous to gift but at the time nothing seemed off to the teen. Soon, it was Bill’s turn to make a promise and add another piece.  

“I’ll give you all the sky. The light will guide you and the night will hide you.” With that promise, he added a Lego to their creation.

 

The light, happy mood started to fall along with Georgie’s smile as he fumbled with the next piece in his hand.

“But you promised me the moon.” The boy looked disappointed.

 

None of this made sense but Bill wasn’t aware of that. He frowned. “I can’t give you that… But I can give you as many stars as you want. Including the sun.”

 

“But I gave you the ocean.” Georgie dropped his piece and got up from the floor, refusing to continue their creation or their promises of love. The bright light now turned into a stormy gray. He left the room, taking all the light with him and leaving Bill alone in the dark.

 

A crackle of thunder brought the teen out of his dream. Bill blinked and looked towards the window to find the sky in a depressed state as it stormed. The morning was already gone and he hadn’t been woken up by Georgie so he decided to check on him.

 

Georgie had woken up early that morning due to stress and worry. He struggled with sleep but the sudden pattern of rain on the house helped lure him into a deep slumber. He didn’t wake up until he felt his brother shake him lightly. The boy slowly blinked, a little disappointed he was woken up. He looked at Bill who smiled at him.

 

“Y-You’ve sl-slept half the d-day away.”

 

Georgie didn’t say anything. He just sighed silently. The boy wanted to go back to sleep instead of getting up. Being asleep meant he didn’t have to feel or think. He didn’t dream anymore.

Bill stroked the boy’s hair.

“Are you h-hungry?”

 

“…Not really.” He mumbled somberly.

 

“Well, you w-will once you g-get up for a bit.”

 

Georgie wasn’t convinced but got up with Bill anyways. The teen made him lunch that the boy barely picked at. He frowned as he watched him.

“G-Georgie?”

 

The child glanced up after a few moments.

 

“T-Talk to me.”

 

He shrugged and brought his eyes back down. “There’s nothing to say…”

 

“What’s wr-wrong?”

 

“Nothing.” Georgie’s responses grew shorter and colder.

Bill took the hint to back off but that didn’t stop him from feeling concerned. Something was obviously upsetting him. The boy was fine yesterday. The teen sighed heavily.

 

“W-Would you tell me i-if s-something was wrong?”

 

Georgie hesitated with an answer, biting his lip.

 

“Pl-Please d-don’t lie…”

 

“Then don’t ask me questions…”

 

Bill frowned sadly.

“We’re s-s-supposed to talk… I feel l-like we take one st-step forward and t-ten steps back.”

 

Georgie shrugged before getting up to leave the table and heading back to his room. Bill didn’t follow him. He just wondered what was bothering him.

 

 

 

The way to school the next morning felt familiar in the worst way. Georgie was speaking and eating very little. All Bill knew was it had to be something bad for his brother to shut down like this but he didn’t know what it was. He looked down at him.

“Do you st-still see P-Pennywise?” That was the biggest thing Bill could never seem to get Georgie to talk about. He didn’t know any details on anything. He didn’t understand why Georgie wouldn’t confide in him.

 

The child nodded slightly to answer.

 

“You d-don’t really tell me m-much about him.” Bill waited for some kind of response, audible or not, but didn’t get any. “H-He doesn’t hurt you, r-right?”

 

They already arrived at the school and it was time for the brothers to part their ways. Georgie didn’t look up as he answered his brother’s question.

“Not physically.”

With that, he headed inside the school. Bill watched him with a sinking feeling. It was a feeling of guilt mixed with shame. He didn’t know how to fix what was going on. He had to find a way to get close to Georgie again but he didn’t know how. Bill sighed and headed back for the high school. Today would start the days he and Beverly would have to stay after school for a couple hours. He felt like Georgie needed him more than ever and he was going to have to be gone more. It made himself feel sick from all the guilt.

 

 

School for Georgie was a nightmare now that he didn’t have Lexi. He was incredibly lonely and heartbroken because he caused it. He was the reason Lexi wasn’t there with him. No one else seemed to notice that she wasn’t there. Or no one cared to notice. The boy sat alone and mindlessly ran his finger through the blades of grass. Georgie had played alone before but since he knew what it felt like to have someone, he wasn’t able to go back to entertaining himself. He missed Lexi and he wanted her back.

Pennywise stood over the boy and looked at him.

“Want me to push you on the swings?”

 

The boy was barely able to shake his head. He was so sad he didn’t want to move. Everything felt too heavy to move. He felt so weighed down.

Pennywise stood there for a couple moments, thinking. He didn’t fully understand how so much loss was going through the kid. He didn’t understand how humans got so attached to each other to the point of everything changing once they were separated. Were human relationships really that significant?

Georgie didn’t notice when the clown left. Pennywise returned and tapped a finger on the boy’s shoulder to get him to look. The boy sighed and turned his head to see what the demon wanted.

 

“For you.” The clown offered in the palm of his hand something that brought more emotion out of the child than he ever felt before. But it wasn’t happiness. It was horror. In Pennywise’s hand was a small human’s heart, blood dripping off his hand.

 

“No!” Georgie immediately got up and turned away, holding his mouth to keep himself from vomiting.

 

Pennywise busted out laughing from the child’s reaction. He didn’t intend for the heart to frighten Georgie but he enjoyed the amusement all the same.

“What’s the matter, Georgie? I thought you would appreciate having her heart.”

 

He shook his head, still turned away. “…Who’s is that? No, don’t tell me! I don’t want to know!” The boy ran, tears falling from his eyes. He had a pretty good idea on who’s it was.

 

“Too soon?” Pennywise continued to chuckle. “You’re a very difficult child to please, you know that?” It was obvious Georgie didn’t want anything to do with the clown right now so he decided to leave the boy alone for a little bit.

 

 

Georgie was never happier to head home once school ended. He just wanted to be with Bill and forget everything else. The boy walked up to his brother and his friends, waiting to be taken home. Bill smiled sadly at him.

“I h-have to stay f-for a couple hours to re-rehearse for the pl-play.”

 

The boy frowned. He completely forgot about Bill doing his play.

“What am I supposed to do, then?”

 

“Y-You’ll be with St-Stan today.”

 

Georgie looked to the other teen who smiled at him and he sighed. He wasn’t thrilled. He didn’t feel like being around anyone. Bill frowned. Georgie was very transparent when it came to his emotions. It was apparent he wasn’t happy.

 

“Maybe you could ask Lexi if she wants to tag along one day?” Eddie suggested, figuring if the boy had his girlfriend then he’d be happier.

 

He quickly shook his head at the mention of the girl’s name. “She’s gone.” His voice was quiet and melancholy.

 

“What do you mean she’s gone?”

 

Georgie shrugged, not making eye contact with anyone. He kept his eyes on the ground. “She… moved,” he lied.

 

Bill raised an eyebrow.

“W-We just saw h-her. She d-d-didn’t move.”

 

Eddie looked to Bill. “I guess they broke up,” he whispered quietly.

 

The older sibling frowned. Was that the reason he was so upset? Either way, he didn’t exactly feel comfortable leaving Georgie when he was so distraught.

Stan saw that Bill was debating on just taking the boy home and forgetting about the play. He gave a warm smile to Georgie.

“Want to go see a movie?”

 

Despite the boy wanting to wallow in his sadness, the promise of a movie added a sparkle to his eyes. He looked up at Stan.

“Really?”

 

“Of course!”

 

“Okay!”

 

Bill was able to smile a little easier seeing that Georgie seemed excited. Eddie frowned, though.

“Man, I was going to do that with him.”

 

Stan smirked. “Too bad. You get him tomorrow.”

 

“How am I supposed to top a movie?!”

 

“You’ll figure something out.” Stan chuckled and allowed the excited boy to tug on his hand.

 

“Movie!”

 

Stan smiled and finally walked the boy to the movie theater. A movie was the best way to kill a couple hours without the boy noticing. That way it’d be easier for him to handle being gone from Bill.

 

“I want popcorn!” Georgie tugged the teen along to the snack counter. There weren’t many people there since it was a weekday.

Stan smirked and purchased popcorn and drinks for them along with their tickets the movie Georgie picked out. As the teen paid for everything, the boy felt his side. His bruise still hurt but not as much as before.

 

“Your side okay?” Stan asked when he noticed what the boy was doing.

 

“Yeah, it just hurts some when I press it.”

 

“What happened.” He frowned.

 

“Henry kicked me.” The boy said it so nonchalantly as he reached for his drink from the counter. It was as if getting hit wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for the child. This concerned Stan.

 

“Can I see?” He asked, curious to how bad it was.

 

Georgie nodded and lifted his shirt a bit. Stan winced slightly at the sight of it. It was healing but it still looked bad. He was just glad nothing was shattered.

 

“Have you told Bill?”

 

“No. Should I?”

 

“I’ll let him know.” Stan followed the boy to the correct theater to see their movie. He hadn’t really paid much attention before but now that he knew Georgie had been hurt, he was looking at him more closely.

 

“Did Henry make the marks on your neck?” He asked.

 

“Nope.”

 

“Do they hurt?”

 

The boy shook his head. “Not really.”

 

Stan didn’t like any of that. He was definitely going to need to have a talk with Bill. For now, there wasn’t much he could do.

Once the movie ended, Stan walked the boy back to the school. He still didn’t have a good feeling about Georgie’s bruises but he was glad the child enjoyed the movie.

 

Bill was anxiously waiting for them outside of the school. He smiled when he saw them.

“H-Hey. How was th-the movie?”

 

“Great!” Georgie happily went from Stan’s hand to Bill’s.

 

Bill looked to his friend.

“He w-wasn’t too much tr-trouble, was he?”

 

Stan smirked and shook his head. “Not at all.”

 

“Th-Thanks for this.” He smiled at him.

 

“No problem, Bill.” He matched the smile then waved to them when they parted ways on the walk home.

 

Georgie had talked about the movie to Bill on the rest of the way home. The teen smirked, glad his brother had a good time.

 

 

 

Tuesday was Eddie’s day. When Georgie arrived, Bill looked over at his friend with a smile.

“Y-You’re up, Eddie.” He patted his shoulder before heading back in the school.

 

The other teen smiled slightly. He was a little nervous to watch Georgie. He had never watched him before.

 

“Think you can handle it or do you want my help?” Stan asked with a smirk.

 

“Of course, I can handle it on my own!” He didn’t like Stan’s smug look. He could take care of Georgie just as good as Bill.

 

“Okay.” The other teen shrugged and headed for home, leaving his friend and the boy.

 

The boy looked up at him, waiting to be entertained. Eddie bit his lip.

“Okay, well, let’s go.”

 

“What are we doing today?”

 

“Um…” Eddie looked away from the child’s stares. It unnerved him from all the pressure. “What do you want to do?”

 

“Buy me a puppy.” Georgie could pick up on the teen’s nervousness so he figured he convinced him to do whatever.

 

“What? …I can’t.” He was taken aback by the random request.

 

“Why not?”

 

“Well… For one, I don’t have the money to buy you a puppy, and did Bill say you could have one?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“I don’t think so…” Eddie felt more uncomfortable now that the child was frowning.

 

“Then what are we going to do?”

 

“…I don’t know yet.”

 

The boy stared at him blankly.

“You’re not very good at this.”

 

“Give me a chance! I’m trying!” Eddie was flustered.

 

“I like Stan better…” The child was unforgiving.

 

“Don’t we all…” Eddie grumbled.

It was going to be a long two hours. He tried to think of someone he could go to for help. Richie was obviously out. He didn’t want to go to Stan to prove he couldn’t handle it. He sighed. He knew that Ben was going to be at the library today. He wondered if he had any idea on how kids worked.

“Let’s go to the library.”

 

“That’s boring!”

 

“Well, I can’t help that!”

 

He huffed but walked with the teen anyways.

“I’m hungry…” He mumbled when they were half-way there.

 

“Um… I don’t have anything for you to eat.” He nervously scratched his head. “We’re almost at the library so just hold on for a little bit.”

 

When they got to the library, Eddie quickly found Ben at a table.

“Hey.”

 

The teen looked up. “Oh, hey.” He looked at Georgie. “What are you doing?”

 

“I’m watching Georgie for Bill. What are you doing?”

 

“I was just looking up some weird stuff.” He mumbled, shutting the book he was reading.

 

“What kind of weird stuff?”

 

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Something weird is going on here… I was seeing if I could find anything on it.”

 

Eddie furrowed his brow. “What do you mean? I haven’t noticed anything strange happening.”

 

“That’s just it… No one has.”

 

Georgie bit his lip.

 

“People are going missing…” Ben continued quietly.

 

“How many?”

 

“Too many. There’s a _lot_ and it’s all recent.”

 

Eddie frowned. He hadn’t heard anything about anyone going missing.

“That doesn’t make any sense… Why isn’t anyone hearing about it?”

 

“It’s like… No one is talking about any of this so everyone just goes on about their lives. There’s no reports being made by the police about any of the disappearances. There’s no traces of anything. No one has seen anything. There was a car crash not too long ago and there was no one found at the site.”

 

“What?”

 

“Yeah. It was a fatal crash but no bodies were found in either of the cars when the cops arrived. They just… vanished.”

 

As Eddie pondered this, Georgie chimed in.

“I’m still hungry…”

 

Ben looked at Eddie. “You haven’t fed him yet?”

 

“What am I supposed to feed him?”

 

“ _Food_. What do you mean what are you supposed to feed him? He’s not an exotic bird.”

 

“I’m new at this, okay?!”

 

The librarian shushed the teens quickly.

 

“Why didn’t you get him something from the vending machines at the school?” Ben asked quietly.

 

“I… didn’t think to do that.”

 

Ben rolled his eyes then got his stuff together. “I’m about to head home anyways. You guys can come over.”

 

“So, what do you think about all this disappearing stuff?”

 

I don’t know yet. I’m trying to figure that out.”

 

 

When they got back to Ben’s place, Georgie was finally given food. Having someone else with him helped Eddie in watching the boy. He constantly checked the clock for when it was finally time to return Georgie to Bill. The last thing he wanted was to be late returning him. When it was time for them to leave, they said by to Ben then headed back for the school.

They waited outside of the high school patiently for Bill to meet them. The teen smiled when he approached them.

 

“Th-Thanks, Eddie.” Bill’s attention went to his brother. “Did you have f-fun, G-Georgie?”

 

“No,” the boy said bluntly. The older sibling couldn’t help but to grin just by the way he said it.

 

“Man, your brother is brutal,” Eddie mumbled to his friend.

 

Bill laughed. “Wh-What? You can’t h-handle a s-seven-year-old?”

 

“No, I definitely can! Just afterwards I cry for 20 minutes…”

 

He shook his head with a chuckle.

“He’ll w-warm up to you.”

 

“If you say so…” Eddie wasn’t very convinced but he gave a small smile anyways.

 

They parted their ways and the brothers started on the way home. Georgie looked up to him.

“How much longer are you going to be gone for the play?”

 

Bill smiled softly and ran a hand through the boy’s hair.

“N-Not long. It’ll go by s-s-sooner than you th-think.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Pr-Promise.” He smiled more at him. “And b-besides, m-mom will pick you up Th-Thursday and Fr-Friday.”

 

The boy nodded a little bit.

 

 

 

Pennywise approached Georgie on the playground the next day. The boy could tell the clown wanted something. He recognized the look he had.

“I’m not doing any more for you…” He mumbled boldly.

 

The clown smirked at his stupidity. “Yes, you will.”

 

“No, I’m not!”

 

“You’ve already done this much.”

 

“I only did all I did because I had Lexi. I’m not doing anything else…”

 

“How about this… You only have one more job to do for me, but it’s a big one. After this, I’ll lift the deal. You’ll be free.”

 

Georgie bit his lip, not liking the way the clown was grinning. “…What do I have to do?”

 

“Nothing you haven’t done before.”

 

“When? …”                       

 

“Soon.” Pennywise chuckled. “Sooner than you think.”

 

Georgie didn’t like any of this but he had no choice but to wait and see. The fact that he had no idea on what or when something was going to happen only made him super anxious.

 

Luckily, the boy became more excited when it was the end of the school day. He would get to be with Stan again. He enjoyed the movie so he wondered what they were going to do today. When he got to the high school, he found Stan and Eddie waiting for him. He figured Bill trusted them enough to not have to see them off. Georgie went up to Stan and looked up at him.

“What are we doing today?”

 

The teen smiled at him. “How about the park?”

 

“Okay!”

 

Eddie fumbled with his fingers a bit. “Could I tag along?”

 

Stan looked at him. “Why?”

 

“So he can associate a good time with me, too.”

 

He chuckled. “You’re fine.”

 

“At least give me tips or something! I need help with him.”

 

The other teen smiled. “I heard you got help from Ben yesterday.”

 

“Yeah, but I want to be able to handle him on my own. You obviously already know how. Please?”

 

Stan hummed and looked at Georgie who frowned at the idea. He chuckled.

“Fine. You can come.”

 

Eddie smiled softly and walked on the other side of Georgie as they headed for the park. The boy held onto Stan’s hand. The last time he had been at the park was with Lexi but he tried to not think about her. Stan guided them over to the slides and swing sets where he let Georgie run over to join the other kids who were playing.

 

Eddie looked at Stan as if there was supposed to me more to it. “That’s it?”

 

“That’s it.”

 

“You’re just going to let him go over there?” He looked back at the boy.

 

“Of course.”

 

“But there’s a bunch of other kids and they’re all touching everything… What if he gets sick?”

 

Stan shrugged.

“Kids get sick. That’s expected.”

 

“You’re okay with that?!”

 

He laughed. “Let him play and possibly make new friends. Sharing germs is normal for kids. Do you really think someone comes out here and cleans all the playing equipment?”

 

“They should!” Eddie looked paranoid and concerned.

 

He rolled his eyes to the side. “File a complaint about the cleanliness of playground equipment and tell me how that goes for you.”

 

“Maybe I will.”

 

Stan chuckled and went over to wait at a swinging bench. Eddie followed but seemed reluctant to sit down.

“I wonder how many people have been here…”

 

“You’ll be okay.”

 

Georgie played for a while until some of the other kids had to leave. He made momentary friendships but nothing that would last off the playground. The boy went over to the bench that the teens were at and he sat between them. Stan stopped the swinging to allow the boy to climb up then he started pushing off with his foot again. Georgie was tired from playing so he was quieter. Stan looked over at Eddie.

“Think you know how to handle things now?”

 

He nodded after a moment of thought. “Yeah, I think I got it. I could probably do this myself.”

 

Stan smirked. “Think so?”

 

“Yeah, I mean, Georgie’s already tired. What more has to be done besides wait to take him back?” Eddie looked at the boy who was getting close to dozing off from the rocking of the swing.

 

“If you say so.” He smiled.

 

“I’m serious! You could totally leave and I’d be alright.”

 

Stan shrugged and stopped the swinging before he got off the bench. That made Georgie wake up.

“Okay then.”

 

“Wait. What? You’re leaving?” Eddie started to look a little uncomfortable.

 

“Yeah. All you have to do is wait until it’s time to take him back. You can handle that, right?”

 

“Right…” He wasn’t able to convince himself.

 

Stan smirked and petted Georgie’s hair which put him close to going back asleep.

“You’ll be alright. You said it yourself.” He whispered to his friend before starting to walk away.

 

Eddie sighed softly and pushed the swing off himself. As long as Georgie stayed asleep then it wouldn’t be so bad. This method worked for a bit until someone called Eddie’s name. He looked over to find that it was Richie. His loud talking woke the boy back up.

 

“What do you want?” He asked in a loud whisper, stopping the swing.

 

“Need some help?” Richie asked with a smirk as he biked over to him. He saw how uncomfortable Eddie looked.

 

“No, I don’t.” He narrowed his eyes at him. “Go away!”

 

He scoffed, getting off his bike. “I could help you, you know!”

 

“No, you can’t!”

 

“Why the fuck not?” Richie asked. “Because Bill _told_ you? You’re just doing whatever Bill says now?”

 

“This isn’t about what Bill says! You’re a horrible influence and a bad parent. That’s why you can’t help.”

 

He rolled his eyes bitterly as he crossed his arms. “Says the guy who lost the kid…”

 

“What?” Eddie looked beside him and didn’t see Georgie. His heart started pounding and he let out a small shriek, getting off the bench. “Oh my god, where did he go?!”

 

Richie shrugged when his friend looked at him. “I don’t know.”

 

“YOU’RE USELESS!” Eddie quickly scanned the area and he didn’t see any sign of the child. “Bill’s gonna fucking kill me… And you!” He pointed to his friend.

 

“Why me? I’m not in charge of the kid.”

 

“You distracted me!” Eddie was breathing heavier and fumbled to get out his inhaler.

 

“That’s your own fau-“

 

“Just shut up and help me find him!”

 

“Oh, so _now_ you want my help.”

 

Eddie sent a glare to Richie that was completely fed up with his bullshit. “Bill isn’t going to be the one to kill you… _I am_ if you don’t start helping!”

 

“Okay, okay! I’ll help...”

 

Eddie started to call for Georgie as he walked around the large park. Richie followed him and also glanced around as they walked.

“Kid!”

 

Eddie spun around to him. “That _kid_ has a name! It’s Georgie! Start using it! God, I hope you never have children!”

 

“Geez…” He mumbled.

 

 

Georgie had spotted a large flock of birds gathered in an area while the teens were talking. He recognized the birds as being robins. He remembered from when Bill pointed it out to him last winter. He didn’t know why but he had the urge to run and disturb them; which is exactly what he did. The boy giggled as he got closer to the birds but they fluttered away just before he could reach them. He stood and watched them regroup in a new area before he bolted towards them again, running faster to try to catch one.

 

Stan was nearby, not stupid enough to _actually_ leave Eddie alone with Georgie in a large, open area. He smiled when he saw the boy run after the birds. He shook his head at Eddie not noticing the child was gone due to Richie being there. He sighed and got up from the bench he sat at to walk towards Georgie. Even from the distance between them, he could see the excited smile on the boy’s face. He was completely fascinated and determined to run with the birds.

Stan’s eyes drifted to the side when he noticed someone else walking towards the child. His heart skipped a beat when he saw it was Patrick. He noticed something glint when he moved it from his pocket. It was a blade. Their gazes crossed for a second before they both started running for Georgie. Fear filled Stan as he tried his best to reach the boy first. He didn’t know what he’d do for defense once he got him, especially if Patrick arrived quickly after, but he had to at least get him. Stan glanced around for any of the other gang members but he didn’t see them. It appeared to just be Patrick. Unfortunately, the older teen was faster. He was going to reach Georgie first.

A robin uncharacteristically went straight for Patrick, aiming for his eyes. The attack from the small bird made the teen stop and swat at it. The bird didn’t let up as it clawed at his face, tearing some skin from his cheek. It didn’t fly away until Stan had caught up to Georgie, scooping the boy up and continuing to run without missing a beat. The boy was startled to be picked up but Stan smiled at him.

“Maybe I can help you catch one.” He didn’t want the boy to worry. Stan glanced behind him to see if Patrick was chasing him. Thankfully, he wasn’t. He returned his attention to the flock of birds he was racing after.

The robin that had attacked Patrick made a U-turn and headed in the direction where Georgie and Stan were going. The bird caught up to them and mixed in with the rest of the flock that took wing to fly away from them. The robin flew slower and lower than the rest, allowing itself to be cupped by Georgie’s hand when he reached for it.

“I caught it!!” Georgie’s eyes shined brightly as he brought the bird close to his chest, covering it in his hands. Stan huffed as he slowed to a stop. He didn’t think Georgie would able to catch a bird. He panted and set the child down once he was sure they were safe.

 

“I can’t believe you actually caught one…” Stan was out of breath from all the running.

 

The boy giggled from happiness as he held the bird in his hands. The robin was docile, not seeming to care until it blinked like it realized where it was. It fluttered away and they both watched it.

 

“It’s my friend!” Georgie smiled.

 

“Right…” He sighed. “It’s time for us to head back.” He smiled and petted the boy’s hair.

 

 

 

By this time, Eddie was convinced the child was gone and he was already planning his funeral. He was sure Bill was going to strangle him.

“Richie…”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“When I die… Don’t go anywhere near my funeral!”

 

Richie rolled his eyes. “Should we head back now?”

 

Eddie groaned, looking around one last time. Miraculously, he spotted Georgie walking towards them.

“Georgie!” He ran over and hugged him. “Thank God! I’m not going to die!”

 

Stan stood there with an eyebrow raised. The teen cleared his throat and released Georgie when he noticed the other teen.

“Oh, hey… Please don’t tell Bill!”

 

Stan smirked and shook his head. “Let’s go.”

 

They separated from Richie at the park before heading back to the school. When they got back to meet Bill, Eddie was worried for some reason that Stan might rat him out. But he didn’t.

 

“I caught a bird!” Georgie declared to his brother excitedly.

 

“R-Really?” He smirked and looked to Stan for confirmation. He nodded with a smile.

 

“Yeah! It was a robin!”

 

Bill chuckled at his brother and stroked his hair.

“Th-That’s great.”

 

 

 

 

The next day Georgie’s mom picked him up so Eddie didn’t have to worry about accidently losing him again. Ben found him in the hallways just as school was letting out.

“Hey. Here’s proof that people are disappearing. See? She goes here.” He showed him a flier that he found.

 

Eddie frowned and took the flier in his hands. The picture was someone he recognized. It was Brandy.

“Where’d you find this?”

 

“It was posted on the announcement board. She went missing last Saturday night.”

 

“I need to show this to Bill.” He moved passed Ben and headed for the auditorium, hoping he’d catch Bill before he went in. Ben followed, not knowing why he looked so concerned.

 

“Bill!”

 

The teen looked and stopped as he saw his friends coming towards him. “Wh-What is it?”

 

Eddie shoved the paper to him. “Look!”

 

Bill glanced it over and then stared at it in disbelief before he looked back at Eddie.

“I-Is this r-real?”

 

“Yeah, it’s real! It happened Saturday night.”

 

“She’s not the only one missing,” Ben chimed in. “There’s more.”

 

“What do you think is happening?” Eddie asked.

 

“S-Something bad…” Bill mumbled, pushing passed them.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

Bill didn’t answer as he started to run. The teens looked at each other. Bill had to get home. He had to get to Georgie. His mind was racing just as fast as he ran for home. It wasn’t just a coincidence that Brandy was now missing. That was too convenient. If Brandy was gone then there was a strong chance Lexi was also missing, which would explain why Georgie was upset. But his attitude changed Sunday morning. He knew. He hasn’t just been sad he’s been mourning. Bill was out of breath by the time he got home, rushing into the house to go up to Georgie’s room.

 

“G-G-Georgie…” He was barely able to get his name out.

 

The boy looked at him. “I thought you weren’t going to be home till later.”

 

The teen disregarded his statement and went straight to him, pulling him in a tight hug.

“G-Georgie, I know.”

 

“Know what?” The boy asked cautiously.

 

“What h-happened to Lexi…” He whispered. He tightened his grip on his brother when he felt him try to squirm away. “P-Pennywise did it… D-Didn’t he?”

 

Georgie broke down quicker than the teen had expected. He completely collapsed into tears in his shoulder.

“I told him not to…”

 

Bill’s heart broke to hear his brother cry with so much pain. He didn’t even know how to sooth him. He just held him.

 

“I… I didn’t want to choose…” The boy mumbled through sobs.

 

“Ch-Choose what?” Bill was confused and concerned.

 

“You…” He clung to his brother. “I don’t want to do this anymore!”

 

“Do what?” Bill looked at him. “G-Georgie?”

 

The boy was crying too much to be able to say anymore.

 

“Georgie, pl-please… I c-can’t help you i-if you don’t tell me.” The teen frowned when his brother wouldn’t continue. “Pennywise is-isn’t making you do anything, is he?” He asked in a small whisper.

 

Georgie didn’t say anything as he continued to sob but he dug his nail into Bill’s back and drew a tiny shape that felt to be a Y or maybe an X. Bill blinked and held him for a moment as he registered the scratch. He took it as a sign that Georgie couldn’t fully talk about it, for whatever reason, but it was true. The teen picked the boy up.

“N-Not anymore…”  


	21. Bloody Mary

Bill carried his brother to his room, where he sat on the bed with him. He continued to hold him and stroke the boy’s back until he cried himself out.

 

“What are you going to do?” The boy asked in a whisper. He sniffed and kept his face buried in the teen’s chest. He was tired.

 

“Pro-Protect you.” Bill promised. “P-Pennywise needs to st-stop going to you and st-start coming to me.”

 

Georgie shook his head.

“He’s not just going to show up to you…” He mumbled. “He comes to me.”

 

“Wh-Why?”

 

“We-“ He stopped himself. He couldn’t tell him they had a deal. “…He’s attached to me.”

 

Bill stared down at his brother.

“I d-don’t like the s-sound of that… N-Next time you see h-him, s-send him my way.”

 

The boy shook his head again. “You’re not supposed to be involved…”

 

“Georgie, _y-you’re_ involved. That m-makes me in-involved.”

 

Georgie frowned but Bill hugged him closely to make him feel at ease.

“I can h-handle this. I pr-promise.”

 

The boy closed his eyes and sighed softly. He wasn’t convinced his brother would be able to get anywhere with Pennywise but he was too exhausted to fight with him about it.

 

 

 

At school the next day, Stan approached Bill at his locker during the beginning of lunch. "Hey, can we go outside for lunch? I want to talk to you about something."

 

Bill looked at him then nodded. "S-Sure. Th-There's actually s-s-something I wanted to s-say to you, too." 

 

Victor detoured away from the rest of the gang to find Bill. He figured the teen would be at his locker so that's where he went first.

"Hey, loser." He said as he saw him shut his locker door. He didn't really care that Stan was with him. 

 

Bill looked at him then narrowed his eyes. He didn't know why Victor was coming up to him but he assumed it was to just start trouble. 

"B-Back off," he hissed, starting to walk away with Stan. 

 

Victor followed them. "I want to talk to you."

 

"I _don't_ w-want to talk to y-you." He hissed defensively. 

 

The gang member rolled his eyes. "Then listen. I'm trying to help you out here."

 

"Y-Yeah right!" He said sarcastically. "Wh-What do you w-want?"

 

"Keep an eye on your brother, will ya? Don't let him out of your sight."

 

"G-Go to Hell."

 

Victor huffed. He wasn't going to bother with him anymore. He had to get back to the others, anyways. Stan watched as he left then he frowned at Bill. 

Stan kept quiet until they got their lunch and made their ways to one of the picnic tables outside. They picked one in the shade under the awning, sitting down across from each other. Practically no one eats outside so this way they'd have more privacy. The people who were outside were too caught up in themselves to be bothered by the two Losers. 

 

"I think you should take Victor's warning seriously..." Stan spoke softly when they sat down. 

 

"Wh-Why would I?" He asked bitterly. "He's pr-probably j-just trying to mm-make me on ed-edge."

 

The teen sighed as he watched his friend. "...Henry already got to Georgie again." He didn’t know how else to tell him except to blurt it out. Maybe then Bill would want to accept Victor’s warning. He didn’t know why Victor would give them a warning but he could only imagine it must be bad if he was going out of his way.

 

"Wh-What?" Bill immediately looked up from his tray to him. 

 

"That bruise on Georgie's side is from Henry… He told me when we went to the movies. Patrick tried to get to him Wednesday but he wasn’t able to. I... think we do need to be more careful with Georgie."

Stan watched as the emotion in Bill's face changed. It went from pure anger from knowing Henry laid another hand on his brother to thoughtfulness.

 

"I th-thought..." Bill trailed off. He really thought their dad was the one that gave him that bruise. He wasn’t as relieved as he’d like to be to know that Zack didn’t do it. It was still something Zack _would_ do. The teen started to feel angry with himself. How could he have let Henry get anywhere near his brother again? He didn’t even know about it; the same with Patrick. What else was happening to Georgie that Bill didn’t know about?

 

Stan pulled him out of his thoughts. "The marks on his neck... He doesn't seem too shaken about any of it. That's not right. He shouldn't be used to that."

 

"Y-You're telling m-me?"

 

Stan frowned. He knew none of this was easy for Bill to hear. It wasn't easy to talk about, either. He picked at his food for a moment.

"You have proof. Why don't you take Georgie down to the police station and file a report? I’ll go with you," He offered, thinking maybe Bill just didn’t want to do that on his own.

 

Bill looked uneasy. He didn't like the idea of getting the police involved. It was risky and scary. He had zero faith in the police. Especially Officer Bowers. He didn’t even know _how_ he managed to become a cop.

"I d-don't know... I d-doubt H-Henry would get in tr-trouble because his dad is a c-cop."

Officer Bowers had more on Bill and Georgie than the teen liked. He knew he wouldn’t do anything about Henry just like he’s yet to do anything about the intruder, missing kids, or the clown. The “imaginary” clown sightings were probably enough to have both Bill and Georgie taken away to the loony bin. The last thing the teen wanted was for Officer Bowers to know they had problems at home as well. That would prove they were vulnerable.

 

His friend listened. "Do you really think he'd protect him?"

 

"Wh-Why wouldn't he?" 

 

Stan found it hard to believe that Officer Bowers would go out of his way to protect Henry. He knew they were family but he was a cop. He couldn’t be _that bad_ of a person if he was working for the police.

"Okay, then what about the marks on his neck?" 

 

Bill didn’t respond for what felt like the longest time. "Wh-What would happen?" He asked as he finally looked at him. "Would m-my dad get a-a-arrested on the sp-spot?"

 

Stan hummed slightly as he thought about it, peeling off a sticker from his apple. "I'm not sure. They might want to do an investigation."

 

"I c-can't have that."

 

"Why not?" He looked confused.

 

"If d-dad found out th-that w-we told on him and the c-cops take their sw-sweet time doing anything, th-then Georgie and I a-are as good as d-dead. I c-can't r-risk that." Bill's eyes were serious as he held contact with Stan's before he glanced away. 

 

The other teen wasn't sure what to say. 

"Are you sure? I mean, he's your dad. Would he really want to kill you or Georgie?"

 

"P-Positive. He may not _w-want_ to k-kill us but when he's p-pissed, he doesn't th-think. And he d-doesn't know his own str-strength."

 

Stan frowned and felt horrible for both the brothers. He knew things weren’t great but he didn't know it was that bad. 

"Well... Something has to be done, Bill."

 

"D-Don't you think I kn-know that?" He was starting to get agitated from talking about such a sensitive subject. 

 

"It's not going to stop on its own... I know it's scary but I honestly think the cops are your best bet with this. Let them know how dangerous he is and that you're scared he'd hurt either of you. Maybe they'll investigate quietly and he won't know what's happening until he's in custody."

 

Bill sighed heavily, shaking his head. "It's s-such a risk..."

 

"They can help you both..."

 

"I don't n-need them to h-help us! _I_ c-can help us."

 

Stan frowned. "Then why haven't you?" 

 

Bill sighed out of frustration, trying to calm himself down. He wasn’t going to be able to stutter out anything if he didn’t keep his composure.

 

"Georgie deserves help..." Stan continued. "You can't do everything yourself. You're not supposed to do everything. Let someone else take over."

 

Bill stared at his tray as he listened to his friend. He was still afraid to show any more vulnerability with him or Georgie to the police. He wasn't able to get over it. He also couldn’t risk their dad finding out. That would be worse than the policing having more against the boys.

"Wh-What if G-Georgie's alone with him wh-while I'm busy?" He asked rhetorically. "I would r-rather him like G-Georgie instead of h-hate him. Th-That way, I kn-know he's alive, and th-that's f-f-fucking messed up."

A tear raced down Bill's cheek before he could stop it. He wiped it away and tried to play it off as if it never happened.

"But there's n-nothing else I can do. It's a r-risk I can't t-take. And be-besides, all the c-cops here are f-full of sh-shit."

 

Stan nodded with understanding and looked down at his food. He started thinking about the intruder. He hadn't heard any news on it so he wondered what the status was. He also thought it’d be best to get off the subject of Bill’s dad.

"Have you heard anything about the intruder?"

 

"Of c-course not." He mumbled. "Th-That's proof the cops a-are use-useless." 

 

Stan frowned. "Really? They haven't found anything?"

 

"I d-don't think they're l-looking..." Bill bit his lip. "Th-That’s what I w-wanted to talk to y-you about. Eddie and B-Ben came to me y-yesterday. Br-Brandy is missing."

 

"Lexi's sister?" 

 

"Yeah... Sh-She's gone, too."

 

"No..." Stan looked incredibly pained. "She and Georgie were perfect together!"

 

"I kn-know... They w-went missing Saturday n-night." He looked at him. "W-We saw them S-Saturday. I think I kn-know wh-what happened... B-But it's going to s-sound cr-crazy."

 

Stan was quiet as he listened to what Bill had to say. "What?"

 

"Br-Brandy and I were t-talking about a cl-clown she's seen..."

 

Stan remember when he had told him about a clown he was seeing.

"The same one you told me about?"

 

The teen shook his head. "It's a d-different one b-but the s-s-same idea. I th-think..." He shook his head again. "I _kn-know_ the clown th-that's after us is th-the one that t-took Brandy and L-Lexi. And I know he-he’s also taking more people. A l-lot more."

 

Stan looked a little confused. "How do you know?”

 

“I j-j-just do.”

 

“Why Lexi and Brandy?"

 

"I g-got too close to f-f-finding out something big, I gu-guess. I’m n-not sure about L-Lexi, though…" 

 

"Are you sure it's this clown doing this?"

He was still a little skeptical about the idea of a clown kidnapping people.

“Maybe it’s some kind of cult. Kidnapping people so many people would probably be difficult for one guy.”

 

"It's r-real." Bill was as serious as ever. "Th-This is more than a cr-crazy guy who th-thinks it's Ha-Halloween 24/7. I think th-this is a d-demon."

 

Stan got uneasy with the mention of a demon.

 

"Wh-Whatever this thing is, it-it's got some k-kind of hold on G-Georgie... He w-won't tell me ex-exactly... But this th-thing de-definitely has a cl-claim on my br-brother." Bill glanced away. "And I h-had no idea ab-about it."

 

"Holy shit." Stan mumbled. It was so hard to believe what he was hearing. "Things are just getting worse by the minute."

 

"I-I have to do s-something... I h-have to pro-protect Georgie."

 

"What? How? When? How are you supposed to fight a demon? Demons are no joke!" Stan was fretful and slightly panicked. 

 

"Do you be-believe me?" Bill asked him. He needed to know if Stan was really going to stand by him. "D-Do you believe me wh-when I say this cl-clown is r-real? Do you h-have my back?" 

 

Stan sighed heavily. "I don't see this clown that you're seeing. I honestly don't _want_ to see it. But... I believe you're seeing it. So… yes. What do we have to do?" 

 

Bill nodded a bit. He was glad that Stan was going to be on his side. He knew a demonic clown wasn’t exactly an easy thing to believe.

"We n-need to face him, but w-we have to have m-more w-with us. Th-That's what Br-Brandy told me. The more, the b-better. W-We need to f-find him."

 

"How do we do that? Summon him or something?" 

 

He shook his head. 

"I don't th-think he's going to a-appear just be-because we chant his n-name thr-three times to a m-mirror in a d-dark bathroom. At least, I h-hope we d-don't have to do th-that."

 

"Oh, God, no."

 

Bill chewed on his lip lightly as he thought about the others. He wasn’t sure they would believe him, but he needed everyone’s trust.

“D-Do you think th-the others will help?” He asked in a tiny whisper.

 

Stan wasn’t really sure. He wasn’t even positive he believed everything himself. On the off chance this _is_ real, then they needed everyone’s help.

“We have to tell them about this. We’re all here for you, Bill. I’m sure they’ll help. Do want to tell everyone today or tomorrow?”

 

The teen shook his head. “M-Monday w-we’ll do it. I want to st-stay with Georgie th-this weekend.”

 

Stan smiled softly. “Okay.”

 

 

 

Inside the lunchroom, Victor wasn't the last one to his table for once. Patrick wasn't there. He bit his lip and took his usual seat across from Belch. None of them spoke because Henry wasn't talking. He was eating his food, looking as mean as ever. Belch and Victor simply looked at each other. They weren't going to risk anything by chatting. 

 

Finally, Patrick arrived at their table, taking his seat next to Victor. Henry glanced up from his food when the other teen sat down. He raised an eyebrow. 

"What the hell happened to your face?" He hadn’t notice it before since he had no real reason to pay attention to him until now. Patrick wasn’t usually late.

 

There was still a bad mark on Patrick's cheek from when the robin had attacked him. 

"I tried getting that little brat but some bird freaked out."

 

Victor noticed a terrifying change in Henry's eyes that made his immediately look down at his tray. Belch noticed the switch as well but he didn't see his eyes. He saw him shake slightly from anger and his hand clench into a fist before stretching back out.

 

"...You... tried _what_?" Henry asked slowly and quietly.

 

Patrick looked at him, not seeming to be intimidated.

"I saw the kid alone at the park." He shrugged. "I thought I'd go ahead and slit his throat while I was there."

 

Henry's eye twitched. "...What makes you think you can just kill him whenever you feel like it?"

 

"That's what we're doing to him anyways... right? You said I get to be the one to kill him."

 

"Not till I say so..." The leader growled. 

 

Patrick shrugged again. "You weren't there. Why wait for your call when I can just-"

 

Henry slammed his fist on the table, shaking all the trays. 

"Because you don't breathe unless I permit it!" 

 

The lunchroom quickly grew silent from the sudden outburst. People hesitated to go back to eating their lunch and chatting amongst each other. 

 

Henry didn't move his paralyzingly glare off Patrick's eyes.

"You _always_ wait on my call," he hissed. "Killing that bunny and your life are both privileges that I can take away if you make another wrong step. Got it?!"

 

Patrick was silent, shifting his eyes down to his food. Victor swallowed and glanced at Belch who met his eyes. They were both shaken up and they weren't even the ones being yelled at. 

 

 

 

Georgie sighed softly as he sat on one of the swings. He absentmindedly pushed his foot in the dirt. He blinked and grabbed the chains tighter when he felt himself being pushed on the swing. The boy glanced up at the clown.

"Billy wants to talk to you," he mumbled quietly.  


Pennywise smirked as he continued to gently push the child. "Is that so?"

 

"He's not happy..."

 

"Is he ever happy?" He snorted.

 

Georgie sighed. "Are you going to?" He asked, looking ahead now.

 

"Hmm." The clown hummed lightly as he made his decision. "It would be rude not to, now wouldn't it?"

 

"You can't hurt him or kill him." Georgie reinforced. He felt if he didn't specify the boundaries he wanted then Pennywise would do whatever.

 

"Wouldn't even dream of it," the clown cooed playfully, pushing the boy harder.

Georgie let out a tiny noise of surprise as he was pushed with more force. He didn't like being pushed so high. It made him feel like he'd lose his stomach. The boy extended his foot to act as a buffer to slow him when it collided with the ground.

"I'm serious!"

 

"So am I." He smirked, continuing to push him even though the boy tried to stop the swinging.

 

"I want to stop," Georgie whined. The pushing hurt his back from all the force. He gasped when the clown suddenly grabbed the chains, forcing the swing to stop abruptly. The boy shut his eyes as his stomach caught up with him. He sighed a bit when it finally settled and he looked back to the clown.

"Don't do anything to Billy!"

 

"I won't lay a finger on him." Pennywise grinned at him. "You can trust me~"

 

Georgie stared at him blankly. He wasn't convinced he could trust him at all.

 

"I stopped, didn’t I?"

 

"I guess..."

 

"Then you can trust me to do this, can't you?" The clown asked with a grin. Georgie didn't respond.  


 

 

When Bill got home from school, his mom was busy doing the laundry. The teen mumbled a greeting when she heard him come in. Bill wasn't in the mood to talk much with her. She was busy, anyways.

Bill made his way by the living room to get to the stairs but something caught his eye. It was something red in the living room. Bill didn't have to get a good look at it to know it was a balloon. What else would it be? The teen could see it in the corner of his eye but when he turned his head, the balloon was gone. He blinked, staring in the living room for a few moments. Bill sighed and shook his head. He figured he was just imagining things because he was so tense. When he turned back around, Pennywise was looming in front of him. The teen jumped with a slight yelp. He quickly stepped back then glared at the clown who laughed at him. He wasn't expecting him to just pop up like that. 

 

"A little bunny told me you wanted to chat." Pennywise patronized with a grin. "What's on your mind, deer?" 

 

"Sh-Shut up!"

Bill had his guard up and he kept his eyes glued on him.

 

"Now I know where Georgie gets his rudeness from..."

 

"Wh-Why are you h-hanging around my br-brother?"

 

"Why are you protecting him? Or, should I say... _trying_ to protect him." He chuckled. "You're pretty bad at it."

 

Bill hissed. "I protect him because I love him." All his words were dripping with venom. The clown wasn't fazed by the teen's defense mechanism. 

 

"I do, too. That's why I hang around him."

He slowly started to pace into the living room, making the teen step back some more. The clown grinned at the space Bill put between them. He walked by him in a painfully slow stride. 

 

"B-Bull! You're not capable of love!"

 

Pennywise made an obviously fake gasp as he slapped a hand to his chest, leaning far back like he was about to do a backbend. 

"That was _harsh_ , Billy." He looked at him as he bent back. His voice was condescending and changed to a higher pitch to resemble a child's. "What do you think I am?" His voice sounded normal now as his neck clicked around with loud ticks of a clock. "Some kind of _monster_?" His voice dropped to a deep growl, nightmarish teeth revealing while he grinned literally from ear to ear. 

 

Bill swallowed and tried not to show he was afraid. Pennywise laughed menacingly. He saw the small jerk of unease in the teen. The rest of his body slowly twisted around so he was completely facing the teen. His smile faded into a blank expression with his movements as he stared in Bill's eyes. The teen held his contact but his eyes were nervous. They showed weakness. Pennywise smirked, straightening back up to his natural, towering height. Bill took a deep breath to slow his heart rate. He hadn't physically seen the clown in so long. He forgot just how creepy he was. Bill hardened his glare at him.

"Wh-What do y-you have on G-Georgie?" He demanded in a mumble. 

 

"Your life." Another chuckle escaped him. "But I'll offer you a little deal. Kill yourself and I'll set him free."

 

"Like an-anyone would be st-stupid enough to m-make a deal w-with you!"

 

"Oh!" Pennywise's mouth dropped dramatically and he pressed his hands to his cheeks. "I can't believe you said that! Calling your own flesh and blood _stupid_!" He grinned as he dropped his hands. 

 

Bill looked confused. "Wh-What are you t-talking about? ..."

 

"I wonder what Georgie would think if he found out you called him stupid? ..." The clown started to pace around the living room, tapping his chin with a finger. 

 

"I d-didn't c-call Georgie that!"

 

"Oh, but you did!" Pennywise faked a surprise as he circled him like a shark. "Do I need to rewind it back for you?"

 

Bill turned to look at him as he made his rounds. He didn't trust him enough to leave his back to him. 

The clown stopped walking and opened his mouth, releasing the sounds of a tape rewinding. A button clicked then replayed what Bill said. Underneath Bill's voice was the sound of a reel turning. When it finished, it quickly rewound again to play it another time. On the third rewind, the mimicking voice was slowed, removing the stutter. When it got to the word 'stupid', it got stuck and repeated it over and over. There was another click that ended the playback when Pennywise closed his mouth.

 

Bill frowned as he stared at him. He wasn't sure what to do or say. The clown laughed at his loss of words. 

"Poor Georgie..." He cooed sarcastically. "And to think he _killed_ for you." 

 

Bill glared harshly. "He d-didn't kill an-anyone! Y-You did!"

 

Pennywise snorted and started to pace again. "What's the difference? Either way, you're the reason Georgie's sad."

 

"N-No, I'm not!" 

 

"You're the reason for everything bad happening to him! You're the reason he's suffering. You're the reason he's alone. You're the reason he doesn't trust you."

 

"Sh-Sh-Shut up! He d-does tr-trust me!"

 

Pennywise smiled and leaned towards the teen. "Then why hasn't he told you anything?" He asked in a whisper. "He's been hanging around me all this time and you're the last to know. That doesn't sound like trust to me."

 

"Y-You don't kn-know what trust is! A-All you do is l-lie."

 

"I know that Georgie trusts me~ I also know he's been lying to you." He chuckled. "It must be tough to find out you’ve been scooted over to second best… Depressing, even." Pennywise slowly grinned.

 

"More l-lies!"

 

"Fine. If you want to talk about lies then let's talk about _yours_." Pennywise chuckled at him. "'I love you', 'I'll protect you', 'I won’t leave your side again'. Any of those sound familiar?"

 

Bill was quiet as he glared at the clown, watching him make his way over to the piano in the room. Pennywise opened the keylid and tapped a few fingers on the keys, playing a little tune. He smirked and shapeshifted into the teen's mother.

"You should learn to play," he said in her soft voice. He then shifted into Zack as he glanced over to Bill. "You're gay enough for it." The voice was also changed into his father's.

The teen glared and lunged straight for Pennywise but he disappeared just before he reached him, slamming the keylid back down. The sound was loud and reverberated throughout the room. It only took a moment for Sharon to call Bill's name for making so much racket. 

 

"S-Sorry, mom." Bill called back.

He huffed angrily and headed for the stairs. He went straight for Georgie’s room where he scooped him up to take him into his own room. He wanted to keep Georgie with him at all times.

 

The boy looked at his brother as he was moved into the teen’s room again. “Am I spending the night with you again?”

 

“Until I k-kill that clown, y-you’re moving in.” He mumbled angrily.

 

The boy couldn’t help but to smile at the idea of staying with Bill more than usual. He especially liked that he could sleep in the teen’s bed. It made him feel safer. His smile faded when he thought about their dad.

“What if dad says no?”

 

“He-He can f-f-fight me.” Bill challenged.

 

Georgie giggled a tiny bit. He knew his brother wasn’t exactly in a chipper mood but the boy was happy. “What did Pennywise say?”

 

The teen sighed. “A b-bunch of lies. D-Don’t tr-trust him.”


	22. Shelter

Bill sat on the bench in front of the piano in their living room. The teen didn't realize he was in the midst of a dream. He didn't remember anything that took place before he sat down on the bench. He was just there.

He stared at the sheet in front of him and tried to translate the notes into keystrokes but he struggled with it. He could tell something didn't sound right when he pressed the wrong keys. Even when he finally memorized which keys to press, he struggled with keeping the same tempo throughout. There wasn't a metronome to go by and Bill had little faith in himself to be able to follow one. Bill sighed and removed his hands from the keys.

 

He didn't notice his mother was standing next to him until she spoke.

"You have the hands for it but you have absolutely no rhythm. Technique only works if you have talent."

Sharon walked away with a cloud of disappointment that followed her and also lingered in the room with the teen. 

 

Bill sat there staring blankly at the black and white keys for the longest time. He only moved his eyes up slightly to stare at the black and white paper. The only noise was the sound of his mother's shoes hitting the floor as she left. Soon, her footsteps disappeared and Bill was left alone. All he had was the black and white he couldn't conform to. 

 

Bill blinked and slowly noticed the boy sitting on the bench next to him. It was Georgie. He was also looking at the sheet music. The teen didn't know when Georgie got there or how long he had been sitting there.

They sat in silent for a while until the boy spoke a number softly. Bill blinked as he looked at his brother. Georgie stared at him before taking Bill's left hand and placing it on the left side of the piano keys. He then reached over to place Bill's right hand on the keys they needed to be over. The boy lightly touched Bill's fingers, starting with his left pinky and going all the way to his right picky. With each tap, he numbered his fingers from 1 to 10. He looked at the teen then repeated the number he spoke a moment ago; 4. Bill stared at his hands, finding the one Georgie marked as 4 then pressed it. He looked to his brother for confirmation and the boy nodded. Georgie looked at the music sheet again. He translated the letters the notes had into something he and Bill could understand easier; numbers. Georgie spoke more numbers one-by-one, giving Bill as much time as he wanted for each one. Georgie smiled once Bill got comfortable with the new system. 

 

The boy moved over into Bill's lap and started over with the notes. This time, he spoke them faster to create the song. He took in consideration the time Bill needed to register the instructions. The teen followed along blindly, trusting his brother's method. Soon, the song started to come together. Georgie gently moved Bill's hands, when needed, to the keys they required to be hovering over. The softness in the boy's voice translated into the pressure Bill had to place on the keys. The teen started to smile as he grew confidence in playing. He was starting to piece together which key was needed from the notes his brother was reading. Georgie also smiled, eventually not needing to recite any numbers. The boy's heartbeat acted as a tempo for the teen. He sat there on Bill's lap and watched him. When the song was almost finished, he looked up at him with a smile.

"You don't need me anymore." 

 

Bill's smile diminished as Georgie was no longer with him. The only heartbeat he heard now was his own. The teen's hands slowly slid off the keys, the last note still playing until he released the pedal. He was alone in silence. Georgie was gone. He’s been gone for a long time.

 

 

Bill's eyes slowly opened and he laid there, watching his brother sleep next to him. His back was turned to him. The teen remembered the last words Georgie spoke to him in his dream, and he tugged the boy close to him, holding him.

"I all-always need you..." he mumbled so softly it was barely audible. 

 

Georgie's eyes fluttered open for a moment when he was pulled closer. He softly whispered his brother’s name before he went back to sleep in Bill's arms. They both fell asleep again together.

 

 

The sun was hidden behind a grey, gloomy sky while it lightly drizzled. Even though the sun was absent, Georgie stirred awake in his brother's arms and stretched before he sat up. Bill groaned a bit when he felt the boy move. 

 

"D-Don't you ever sl-sleep late? ..."

 

"No." Georgie said Indifferently. 

 

The teen sighed and slowly tried to go back to sleep but Georgie wasn't about to allow that. "Let's play!" He demanded, leaning against Bill's shoulder. 

 

The older boy grunted in response then wrapped his arms around Georgie to pull him close.

"F-Fine. We'll-We'll play a game."

 

The boy blinked and waited for something to happen as he was still trapped in Bill's arms. 

"...Have we started yet?"

 

Bill smirked slightly. "You h-have to be qu-quiet and still f-f-for this game..." He whispered.

 

"What's the game called?" Georgie attempted to whisper but it was more like a quiet shout that wasn't very quiet. 

 

"Hi-Hibernation."

 

"How long do we stay like this?"

 

"Until sp-spring."

 

The boy frowned. "That's boring!"

 

"You w-won't be bored if-if you're as-asleep."

 

"I want to do something!" He tried to squirm away but Bill tightened his hold on him. 

The teen chuckled and turned on his back, bringing the boy on his chest. 

"Oh-Okay! Y-You don't wanna hi-hibernate? We'll pl-play something else. L-Let's be va-vampires."

 

Georgie was intrigued at the sound of the new game. "Okay. What now?"

 

"Th-They don't come out t-till night so w-we sleep till then."

 

The boy narrowed his eyes at him. "You don't want to be a vampire... you just want to sleep!" 

 

Bill laughed and stroked Georgie's hair. "I pr-promise the moment the s-s-sun goes down I'll s-suck your bl-blood."

 

The boy giggled and managed to squirm his way free from his brother. 

"I think you're just lazy."

 

Bill smiled and slowly sat up with a yawn. He glanced over at the window. It was still dark due to the clouds.

“It's a dr-dreary day... It's per-perfect for sleep."

 

Georgie hummed a bit. Bill probably wasn't going to want to go outside with it raining. "We can do something inside!" 

The boy slid off his bed and went over to the teen's dresser where he pulled down the stapled sheets that were sitting on top. 

"What's this?"

 

Bill yawned for the second time then looked at his brother. 

"Oh, th-that's the sc-script for the play."

 

Georgie carried the packet back to the bed. 

"What do you do?"

 

"W-We r-read through the sc-script and try to mem-memorize it and act-act it out." 

 

"You have to memorize all of this?" The boy was shocked, flipping through all the pages. 

 

Bill chuckled. "J-Just the hi-highlighted parts are mine."

 

"Oh!"

There was still a bunch highlighted but at least it wasn't every word of the whole packet. 

"So, what's it about?"

 

"A man and w-woman stay at this h-hotel re-resort for their h-honeymoon-"

 

"What's a honeymoon?" Georgie interrupted. 

 

"It's... th-that part doesn't m-matter. While they're th-there, they g-get sn-snowed in-"

 

"Oh, no!"

 

Bill chuckled to himself at being interrupted again.

"Y-Yeah. B-But that's not the w-worst part. The l-lights fl-flicker out-"

 

The boy gasped loudly. "That is worse!"

 

Bill smacked the palm of his hand into his face. It was painful trying to explain the plot to the boy when he kept interrupting. It was taking longer than it needed to be. 

"Ge-Georgie... j-just listen, okay?"

 

The boy nodded. 

 

"Wh-When the lights c-come back on, s-someone has been m-murdered."

The teen paused in case Georgie wanted to chime in again. He stayed quiet so Bill continued.

"Th-"

 

"Who's the killer?!" The boy blurted out. 

 

Bill expressed his pain and frustration through a groan. He tugged the boy in his lap and covered his mouth. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold Georgie still for too long so he had to make it quick. 

"Th-They have to f-figure out who the k-killer is before everyone d-dies."

He released the boy's mouth once he finished. 

 

"Do you know who the killer is?" He asked, eyes wide. 

 

"Y-Yes."

 

"Who?!"

 

"You c-can't tell anyone. It's a s-s-secret."

 

Georgie nodded, wanting to know the secret.

 

Bill smirked at him and leaned down to whisper in his ear. "It-It's me."

 

The boy gasped. "I won't tell anyone..." He whispered loudly. 

 

The teen laughed and squeezed his brother in a hug. 

"D-Do you w-wanna help me pr-practice my lines?"

 

"Can I be the wife?"

 

"Sh-Sure. You can b-be all the l-lines that come be-before mine."

 

The boy nodded and crawled out of the teen's lap to sit across from him, holding the script in front of his face. He stared at the page for a while, reading his line silently a few times before he placed the script down, saying the line to his brother. Bill responded by reciting his line next.

The boys practiced for a little while, making their way through half the script. The boy would repeat a line if Bill didn't get his correct or if he felt he could have done better. 

Georgie hummed a bit in response to Bill's last line. "Try again with more feeling."

 

The teen rolled his eyes and snatched the script away from him playfully. "I'll g-give you more f-feeling..."

 

The boy giggled and pushed away his brother who tried to tickle him, plopping over on the bed. Bill laughed and stopped when he heard their mother call from downstairs. She had gotten fast food for them for lunch.

 

"Food!" Georgie jumped off the bed faster than Bill could register and he hurried downstairs. The teen chuckled, shaking his head as he lazily followed. Bill met Georgie at the bottom of the stairs where he paused to avoid crossing paths with Zack. The boy waited until he had a clear shot to run to his mother. Bill frowned, following his brother. He kept a watchful eye on both his parents but neither of them seemed out of character. He couldn't be sure of anything anymore with Pennywise roaming around. 

 

Zack glanced them over. "Neither of you are dressed yet?"

 

"W-We just got up," Bill mumbled. 

 

"We were playing!"

Georgie grabbed a bag of food for him and his brother from their mom then quickly ran back to the stairs. He wanted to eat in Bill's room. 

 

Bill sighed a bit, ignoring his father's gaze as he went after Georgie. By the time he made it to his room, the boy was already dividing up the food on his bed. He smirked a little bit.

"D-Don't eat my fr-fries."

 

"Can't promise that!" 

 

Bill chuckled and sat on his bed. Georgie strategically kept their food close so it wouldn't be as obvious when he stole from his pile. The teen moved his food into his lap so he would notice if the boy tried anything. 

 

As they started eating, Bill looked at his brother.

"Do y-you like Stan and Ed-Eddie watching you after sc-school?"

 

"I like Stan."

 

The teen smirked. "C-Cut Eddie a little sl-slack, okay? He-He's trying."

 

Georgie pouted. "Where's the fun in that?" 

 

Bill rolled his eyes with a smile.

“It’s v-very nice of th-them to h-help out, you know. Th-They didn’t h-have to.”

 

"I guess… I miss Beverly, though..." He mumbled while he ate. 

 

Bill looked at him and gave him a sad smile. "Sh-She misses you, t-too." He whispered. "M-Maybe tomorrow we c-can do something to-together."

 

"Take me to the pet store!" 

 

"Georgie..."

 

"Just to look! Please?!"

 

The teen shook his head, chuckling. "I kn-know you. Y-You're going to w-want to take ev-everything home. We’re n-not going to a p-pet store." 

 

The boy pouted. "Beverly would take me... I wish she was here..."

 

Bill sighed heavily, rolling his eyes. "F-Fine. I'll s-s-see if sh-she wants to c-come with us."

 

"So, you are taking me?!" Georgie wasn't even sure if his guilt trick would work on his brother. Apparently, Beverly was the key to make him cave easier. The boy took a mental note of that. 

 

"T-Tomorrow. B-But we're _just_ looking. No p-pets."

 

The boy smiled and turned his attention back to his food, feeling accomplished. Georgie tried opening one of the ranch cups but struggled a little bit with the edge of the corner. Just before he was able to get it, Bill snatched it from his hand. 

 

"Billy!" He frowned.

 

"I c-can open it f-for you," He said as he popped a fry in his mouth. He quickly moved the ranch out of reach from his brother when he reached for it. 

"J-Just wait a m-minute."

 

"I want to do it!" Georgie managed to grab Bill's hands that hid the cup on his lap. He tried to pry his hand in to get it. 

 

The teen laughed at his brother's attempt but allowed himself to get distracted while he started to open the little container. The few seconds of distraction was all Georgie needed to be able to slide his hand through and grasp it.

 

"W-Wait, Georgie-"

His reaction time was too slow to be able to stop the boy. Georgie flinched back the next second. First was a look of horror on the teen's face then an immature chuckle escaped his mouth; which he quickly covered up and cursed himself mentally. He had just opened the ranch when the boy squeezed it, causing it to splatter out on him. 

 

The boy whined softly as he blinked his right eye, his left having a blob of ranch on it. There was more lobbed on his hand after the rest shot out. Some got on his shirt and leg. 

"It went all over me...!"

 

"It-It got on my h-hand, too." Bill spoke softly, trying to stifle laughter that threatened. He shouldn't find any of it funny and he hated himself that it made him want to laugh. "I'm s-so sorry," he chuckled, searching for a napkin. "J-Just hold still f-for a s-second."

 

He placed the now-almost-empty little ranch cup down and reached over to his nightstand to grab the box of tissues. Just as his fingers made contact with the box, his eyes caught Zack's as he was just about to walk by his room. Their father stopped and stared at them. Bill blushed brightly and recoiled his hand, dropping the box of tissues on the floor. He gulped. 

"It's r-ranch, I sw-swear," he squeaked. 

 

Their father wasn't amused as he moved his eyes from the ranch-covered boy to glare at the teen.

"You're getting a switch when you get done."

 

"B-But-But I. Okay..." Bill wasn't going to fight with him on this. He awkwardly looked away when their father closed his bedroom door. The teen's embarrassment didn't stop there as Georgie licked off some from his hand. 

"D-Don't do that." The teen grabbed the tissues from the floor then wiped Georgie off. 

 

"Why do you have to get switched?" The boy asked softly. He didn't want his brother to be whipped.

 

"Be-Because this l-looks really bad..."

 

"Why?"

 

"Uh..." Bill tossed the used tissues away then awkwardly started eating again. "Ask Bev-Beverly when you're ol-older."

 

The boy pouted at another thing he couldn't know about until he was older. Soon, he forgot about it because food was more important.

 

 

 

 

The next day was a little brighter. The ground was mushy from the previous day's rain but overall it looked to be a good day. 

Bill had called Beverly to come over and Georgie was beyond ecstatic. The boy dragged his brother with him outside to wait for Beverly.

"I'm getting a puppy!"

 

The teen shook his head. "N-No puppy. We're only l-looking."

 

Georgie ignored him and excitedly ran over to Beverly when he saw her.

"Beverly!" The boy pounced on her. 

 

She laughed and picked him up, holding him on her hip.

"Georgie!"

 

"I missed you!"

 

"I missed you, too." She grinned and squeezed him in a hug. "Are you sick of Bill yet?" She smirked playfully as she watched the other teen roll his eyes.

 

"Yes." Georgie smiled. He wasn't really sick of his brother.

"Can I have a puppy?"

 

Beverly hummed. "I don't see why not."

 

"YES!"

 

"I j-just told him he-he can't have a p-puppy!" 

 

"How was I supposed to know that?" She asked. 

 

"C-Communication."

 

She rolled her eyes and started walking with him down the street. She kept Georgie in her arms. "Then why are we going to a pet store?"

 

"It's j-just to m-make him stop t-talking about it."

 

"And you think showing him a puppy is going to make him stop talking about one?" She laughed. 

 

"Guess what Bill did yesterday!" Georgie blurted out excitedly.

 

"What did he do?" She grinned. 

 

"G-Georgie, no..."

 

"He got switched for it."

 

"Ooo, must be bad."

 

"We-We're never to sp-speak of what ha-happened..."

 

"Well, now I'm curious." She laughed then looked over at Bill. "What'd you do? Steal from the cookie jar?"

 

"N-Not quite." Bill glanced off with a slight blush forming. "It's a b-boy thing I d-don't want to t-talk a-about it. It's s-suggestive..."

 

She then looked at Georgie. "What'd he do?"

 

"His ranch got all over me then dad came in."

 

Beverly blinked. "That... definitely sounds suggestive."

 

"It w-was j-just ranch!"

 

"But it looked...?"

 

"Y-Yeah..." Bill refused any eye contact. "Then d-dad walked in and s-saw it before I c-could cl-clean Georgie off..."

 

Beverly laughed at his discomfort. "Oh, God. Don't do anymore suggestive things unless I'm there to laugh at you!" 

 

"What's suggestive?" Georgie asked. 

 

“I w-want to die…” Bill deadpanned.

 

"It means it suggests something else." Beverly smiled at him.

 

That explanation was no help to the boy. Beverly set him down and held his hand once they got to the pet store. Bill opened the door for them to walk in first.

The first thing that caught the boy's attention was the chirps of a few birds in a cage. 

 

"Aww, look, Georgie." Beverly smiled at the birds. "They're pretty."

 

"I want all of them." The boy said bluntly. 

 

She giggled and stroked his hair. 

"Let's keep looking around first." 

 

Next, they stopped at some cages that held cats and kittens. Georgie gasped.

"Can I get a cat?!"

 

Bill shook his head. "M-Mom's a-allergic to c-cats." The teen kept walking while they stayed to look at the cats. He paused when he got to the large aquarium tanks.

"Th-These are ch-cheap, Georgie."

 

"I want twelve of them!"

 

"Y-You haven't even s-s-seen them!"

 

Beverly giggled and carried the boy over to the fish tanks.

"Someone is an impulsive shopper~" She held Georgie up so he could watch all the colorful fish swim around. He pressed a hand to the glass. The boy liked everything and wanted everything. 

 

Bill had kept walking around until he found the puppies.

"The p-puppies are over h-here, Georgie."

 

"Puppies!" The boy waited to be set back down before he hurried over to Bill. 

Georgie walked up to the small pen that sectioned off the puppies. There were two. One was a dark, tarnished gold color. It had long, curly fur and it was hyper. Georgie didn't know what kind it was. It ran straight for the gate and stood on its hind legs, wagging its tail rapidly. The boy's eyes glanced over that puppy and focused on the quiet one who waddled over when Georgie placed his hand down in the pen. It looked to be like a Labrador puppy. It was a pale yellow that almost looked white in some places. It had a big, black nose with a tiny pink splotch on it.

The hyper puppy still hopped on the gate, excited to see people. The one that Georgie had his eyes on went over to the boy's hand and mashed his big nose in it before licking it. 

 

Beverly eagerly watched the boy for his reaction. 

"Well? What do you think?"

 

"He's fat." Georgie deadpanned. 

Beverly giggled and glanced at Bill before looking down again at the boy. 

"I love him!!"

 

Bill rolled his eyes. 

 

"I'm sure he loves you, too." Beverly smiled at him. 

 

"Really?!"

 

"We-We're n-not bringing him home."

 

The boy frowned. "But I want him!"

 

"In a f-few months he's go-going to be b-bigger th-than you!"

 

"You're bigger than me and I still love you."

 

“…”

Bill was quiet as Beverly laughed. The child picked up the puppy and held him.

"G-Georgie... I th-think maybe a sm-smaller dog would be b-better for you."

 

Beverly smiled at the boy who frowned and she stroked his hair. 

"I'm going to have to agree with Bill on this one. This puppy is going to grow up to be huge."

 

"How do you know?"

 

"Big feet." She pointed at the puppy's paws. "You can always tell how big he's going to be by looking at his feet."

 

"D-Don't t-teach him that!" Bill whispered, blushing faintly. 

 

Beverly gave the teen a look as she placed her hands on her hips. "And what, exactly, is wrong with telling him that?" 

 

"Y-You- it- j-just..." Bill wasn't able to spit out a sentence that made any sense. 

 

The girl smirked and glanced down to Bill's shoes. 

 

"I'm uh-up here." 

 

Beverly laughed and shook her head. "You're ridiculous,” She whispered loudly.

 

"Oh." Georgie took one of the puppy's paws in his hand and squeezed it lightly. The paw took up most his hand. "I like your feet." He smiled at the dog that lazily yawned. 

"I don't care if you get big! You are kind of heavy, though..." The boy shifted the dog in his arms as he continued to talk to him. The puppy was perfectly content in his arms. He was just happy to be alive. When Georgie stopped talking, the puppy looked at him. The boy was intently staring at him for reasons the dog didn't know. The puppy stared back. Georgie poked his tongue out at the dog to see what he would do. The puppy blinked then slowly licked the boy's nose. Georgie’s eyes sparkled at the affection the dog showed him. 

"I love you, too..." He whispered wishfully. 

 

Beverly giggled. "What are you going to name him?"

 

"Wh-Who said we're k-keeping him?"

 

The boy ignored his brother as he stared at the happy puppy in his arms. 

"Hm... He doesn't really look like a Hotdog..." 

 

 

"He l-looks like he's eat-eaten a few h-hotdogs..."

 

Beverly laughed. 

 

“Don’t listen to Billy,” he told the puppy. “I think you’re beautiful.” Georgie thought a little longer. "Butterscotch," he decided. 

 

"Th-That's a du-dumb- AH!" 

 

Beverly had stomped on Bill's foot.

"That's a great name, Georgie! It's adorable!"

 

"You st-st-stepped on my f-foot!" Bill hissed. 

 

"Then move your big feet." She hissed back with a playful sideways glance. 

 

The teen huffed and looked away. 

 

Beverly looked at the other puppy in the pen and picked it up. She smiled then turned to Bill. 

"Here. Why don't you take her? Then you get to decide what her name is."

 

"Yeah! We can bring both home!" 

 

Bill shook his head. "We're n-not br-bringing _either_ home. And be-besides, there's no w-w-way we could have b-both of one's a b-boy and one’s a g-girl."

 

"Why not?" Georgie frowned.

 

"They'll... f-fight..." Bill awkwardly turned away and Beverly snorted.

 

"I can't wait to see when you have kids," she mumbled as she put the other puppy back in the pen.

"God, help your wife."

 

"G-God, help _me_." Bill groaned. 

 

"We can leave now." Georgie said as he carried the chubby puppy with him, hoping no one would notice. 

 

His brother stepped in his path and shook his head. "We-We can't take B-Butterscotch."

 

"Please?!" Georgie begged. "He can stay in my room!"

 

"Wh-Why do you w-want a dog s-so much?"

 

"I want a friend..." The boy spoke somberly, looking down at Butterscotch.

 

"I'm y-your friend."

 

"But you're busy..."

 

Bill frowned and looked at Beverly who also pouted.

"Get him the puppy," she whispered.

 

"P-Puppies are a l-lot of work. M-Mom and d-dad aren't going to al-allow it." He sighed at his brother. "Can't we g-get you something more l-low maintenance? Like a pl-plant?"

 

Georgie wanted Butterscotch and only Butterscotch. Bill sighed again when he saw his brother wasn’t going to budge without the puppy. He went over to an employee who was nearby.

“H-How much is the-the puppy…”

 

The worker smiled at him. She had been watching them. “We can’t sell him to you yet. We just got both the puppies in and we need to give them shots first. As long as they don’t have any reactions to the shots then they’re good to go.”

 

“When do th-they get them?”

 

“The guy comes next week to give them their shots.”

 

The teen sighed. “Okay. Th-Thanks.” He walked back over to Georgie.

“Ev-Even if we were to g-get him, which we-we’re _not_ , we-we can’t be-because he h-hasn’t had his sh-shots yet. Y-You need to p-put him back.”

 

Georgie frowned and squeezed Butterscotch to him. “But I don’t want to…”

 

Beverly also pouted and she played with Georgie’s hair.

“Come on, Georgie.” She nudged him along to put the puppy back in the pen. She looked at the teen. “You’re going to come back next week, right?” She asked in a soft whisper.

 

Bill sighed heavily. “I’ll th-think about it…”

 

Georgie kissed the top of Butterscotch’s head before he placed him back. “Bye…” He mumbled.

 

Bill groaned to himself and turned to leave. It broke his heart to watch Georgie be sad. “Th-This was a b-bad idea to come h-here.”

 

Beverly smiled sadly at the teen as she walked with Georgie’s hand in hers.

 

 

 

Victor took his time to get to the woods where he was to meet the rest of the gang. He looked over at Duke who would pause to sniff around at the ground but would ultimately follow the teen. Victor had just picked him up and much to his dismay, he loved him. He was a good dog that was better trained than he was expecting.

Duke wasn't on his leash. He didn't need to be. He would never wander off too far out of sight and he always kept up with Victor. 

This just made things worse for the teen. The fact that Duke was so behaved and curious about his new surroundings made Victor sick to his stomach. He honestly wished the dog would be horrible so he wouldn't feel bad when he was going to be inevitably killed. Victor never had a dog before but he always wanted one. Now, his dream dog was going to abused. A big part of him wished Duke would run off. Victor could tell the others he got off his leash and got away. That wouldn't be a lie and Duke wouldn't have to go through Hell. But the dog was too loyal already. The teen hated so much of this. 

 

He finally made it to the gang's meeting place. Everyone else was already there. The teen quickly glanced to see if his dog had the smart idea to run to safety but Duke stayed by his side. Victor did notice a slight change in Duke. He was no longer curious. Instead, he was cautious. 

 

"You got a dog!" Belch was the first to notice him. He smiled and went over to his friend. 

"What's his name?"

 

Before Victor could answer, Henry cut in.

" _It_ doesn't have a name."

 

Belch raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what you see but it's clearly a boy."

 

"The dog isn't here for fun. It's going to act as our guard dog to attack anyone who tries to stop us from getting our little bunny."

 

Belch frowned. Victor lightly petted Duke's fur when he noticed him get tense when Henry stepped closer. 

 

"Do your parents know about him?" Henry asked. Victor shook his head.

"Good. Tie the mutt up to that tree. We'll come back tomorrow to start training it.”

 

Patrick stared at the dog for a while. 

"I could get ahold of a shock collar."

 

Henry looked at him. "For the dog or the bunny?"

 

The teen shrugged. "Both, if you want." 

 

"Would the voltage kill a kid?" Belch asked. 

 

"If it does then that's a plus," Henry smirked. "Hurry up with that mutt and let's go." He ordered Victor. 

 

The teen sighed somberly, hooking Duke up to his leash and bringing him over to a tree where he tied the leash around it. Henry and Patrick already started to walk off but Belch stayed back. 

 

"I'm sorry," Victor muttered to Duke. He kneeled down and petted him a little bit before giving him a dog treat from his pocket. Duke gobbled it up in a matter of seconds. Victor placed a few more on the ground before getting up and walking away. He ignored the whines he heard by biting harshly on his lip. Belch walked with his friend, giving him occasional glances but he couldn't give him any peace of mind. He could see this was difficult. 


	23. Tourniquet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to let you guys know, Mike isn't homeschooled in this story (mostly because I forgot about that XD)  
> So, don't be alarmed that he's in school with the other losers :3

The teen woke up in another dream. This one was familiar to his other nightmares. Everything was dark but that didn't hinder his ability to see.

Bill slowly blinked as he began to realize he was lying down in a field. He looked beside him to find that the flowers weren't actually real. They were paper folded in a delicate way to replicate petals. Above Bill were star boxes hanging down with a thin, white string that was barely visible. They replaced the stars in the sky. 

When the teen sat up, he noticed that his brother was sitting near him. The boy smiled but it was the fake kind that was plastered on.

 

"They're like all your promises to me," the boy said, referring to all the flowers.

 

Bill smiled but the boy wasn't finished.

 

"...They're all fake." Georgie's plastic smile faded into a genuine scowl. 

 

The teen's smile fell and something bright above him caught his attention. The star boxes were caught on fire and they fell to the ground like shooting stars with vengeance. The fire quickly spread onto the flowers when the stars landed.

Bill had to act fast so he got up and scooped his brother in his arms. The field suddenly changed into a room of a house. It was the same dark house that Bill didn't recognize yet he registered as it being familiar. The whole house was soon lit with the flames of the fallen stars.

The only thing that went through the teen's mind was he had to find a way to get Georgie out. The boy in his arms started to squirm to get free.

 

"Stop, Georgie! I'm trying to get us out of here!" For some reason Bill was having a difficult time finding the exit. The child starting squirming with more force and Bill stopped his running to look at him.

"Georgie, I said-"

 

The child's eyes were black and he screeched something inhuman at his brother. Bill gasped and immediately dropped the creature he was carrying. He didn't wait to see it change forms. He just kept running, trying desperately to find his way out before the entire house was engulfed in flames. 

Finally, he managed to find the front door but just before he could reach it, the floor broke beneath him. The teen continuously fell for what felt like forever before he finally made contact with the ground. He didn't feel any pain from the fall but he felt fear as he looked around. It was dark. Everything was pitch black. Bill didn't know where he was but laughter grabbed his attention. It was the sound of a child's laugh; Georgie's laugh.

 

Bill stayed pressed on the ground in an attempt to feel safer. The laughter started from behind him but quickly swept around him. He saw a glimpse of something glide by him. The teen was breathing heavily and loudly now. The child's laugh changed into the clown's. Bill could make out an outline of Pennywise that glided back behind him. Then teen buried his face in his arms. He was scared.

 

"Boo!"

 

Pennywise's voice suddenly in his ear made the teen wake up from his dream with a jump. He gasped and scrambled to sit up, hugging his knees to his chest as he quickly scanned his room. Bill sighed with exhaustion and looked over at his brother beside him. He was still sleeping. 

 

The teen groaned and slowly crawled off the bed. As he made his way out of his room, he stepped on one of Georgie's toys. He winced from the insufferable pain of stepping on the hard plastic and kicked it out of his way. Day by day, Bill was finding more of Georgie's junk in his room. It was done so subtle that by the time the teen noticed, it was already too late. He supposed he did tell him he was moving in. 

 

Bill sighed when he reached the bathroom. He blinked and stared in the mirror when he flicked the light on. Something seemed... off. Bill leaned closer to the mirror and made slow movements, as if he was trying to catch the reflection off guard. He didn’t know why but the teen didn't trust his reflection. Eventually, he convinced himself he was just exhausted. He needed to get as much sleep as he could before he would have to go to school. As Bill left the bathroom to go back to bed, he didn't notice his reflection stayed in place, watching him leave. 

 

 

 

During lunch at school, Bill tried to be the first at their table. He wasn't. He never was since Ben and Mike brought their lunch from home most days. Bill usually sat on the left end of the table and his closer friends flocked in the surrounding seats around him. The table had a small gap in the middle from where it was actually two tables connected in order to make one long one. There wasn't enough room for all of them to be on the left end so Ben and Mike sat on the right side of the table, across the gap. Even though they all sat at the same table, they usually paired off within themselves to have their own conversations. They were all essentially a bunch of misfits that were forced to sit at the same table because no other table would have them.

Bill was friendly with everyone but he hated to admit he did kind of ignore Ben and Mike. They were on the lower end of the food chain; lower than him. He didn't have any classes with them so the only time he saw them was at lunch. Even then, he rarely talked with them. A part of him felt bad for that. He wanted to make more of an effort to talk with them. 

 

The teen gave a tiny smile as he chose to sit further down the table, next to Mike. He was still on the left side of the gap but that was a minuscule distance when compared to the two seats he usually sat away from them. 

 

"H-Hey." He said softly. 

 

Ben and Mike were pleasantly surprised that Bill was sitting so close to them. 

 

"Hey, Bill." Ben was sitting directly across from Mike. 

 

"Wh-What do you g-guys have?" He asked, looking at their lunch.

 

"Turkey and cheese," Ben said. 

 

"I have pb and j," mumbled Mike. He was on top of the world that Bill was sitting next to him but he tried to play it cool. No one ever sat next to him by choice. The only reason anyone would sit next to him at lunch was if the seat next to him was an empty one next to Bill.

 

"Is-Is it grape?"

 

"Of course!"

 

"Do you w-wanna trade?" He asked, offering the grilled cheese he got from the school's line. 

 

"You sure? I'm going to be honest with you, I don't think it beats grilled cheese."

 

Bill chuckled a little bit. "I l-like pb and j."

They happily made the swap and Mike added in his bag of goldfish crackers to go with it.

"Aw, man. G-Goldfish is my shit." The teen said, grabbing a handful. He never got to eat the little crackers much anymore since Georgie was fully prepared to fight him for them. 

 

Bill waited until the rest of his friends got to the table. His stomach was in knots from being too nervous to really eat much. He wasn't sure how any of them were going to take the news he had. He at least knew Stan was in his corner.

 

Richie and Eddie were the next to arrive at the table. Richie had a confused look on his face as he slid down next to Ben to be across from Bill. Eddie moved with him.

"Why are we all the way down here?"

 

"It's-It's the same t-table."

 

"I know that." He gave attitude that Bill rolled his eyes at.

 

It wasn't long for Beverly and Stan to make their ways to join the others. Beverly smirked as she made it to the only available seat next to Bill before Stan did.

"I got here first," she smirked at him playfully.

 

"Yeah, enjoy it," Stan muttered, going over to the seat on the other side of Mike. 

 

Bill visibly looked anxious as he was thinking about what he needed to tell the others. Stan was the first to notice the teen's mood but Eddie brought up the question before he did.

"You okay, Bill?" Eddie asked, looking at him. 

 

"Y-Yeah," he lied. "My h-head just hurts."

 

Richie snickered to himself. "Which one?"

 

Bill rolled his eyes and chose to ignore his friend's comment. Eddie started laughing with Richie. When he finally calmed down from his own joke, he looked at Bill. 

 

"So, is there like a reason we're all sitting so close?"

 

"I need to t-t-talk to everyone... B-But you have to w-wait till I'm f-finished." He cut a look at Richie. 

 

"Why are you looking at me while you say that?!" 

 

"You all-always interru-"

 

"No, I don't!"

 

Bill narrowed his eyes at him and kicked him hard underneath the table. 

 

"OW! You kicked me in the fucking shin, you ass!"

 

Eddie, of course, busted out into laughter at his friend being in pain. 

 

"That's not how to play footsie!" Richie hissed. 

 

"St-Stop interrupting me!"

 

"Then spit out what you're trying to say! Jesus, it'd be faster if you just wrote down everything..."

 

Eddie's laughter quieted down and everyone gave Richie a displeased look. 

 

"Give him a break, Richie..." Ben mumbled. 

 

"What?!" He didn't understand why everyone was suddenly getting an attitude with him. "I'm just saying what everyone here is thinking! It takes forever to listen to him!"

 

Eddie rolled his eyes then looked at Bill. "It's okay, Bill. We still love you."

 

"Ohh, suck on his dick, why don't cha?" Richie mumbled bitterly at his friend. 

 

"At least he has one, unlike you!" 

 

"G-Guys... pl-please let me talk..." Bill sighed with frustration.

 

"Fine. Get comfortable, everybody. We're going to be here for a while." 

 

Beverly glared at Richie.

"God, you can be such an ass. Are you on your period?"

 

Richie glared just as hard back at her.

"Shut up, Bev."

 

“You shut up!”

 

Bill sighed again, louder this time. "S-So..." He looked over at Ben. "B-Ben found out that s-s-some people are m-missing. One of th-them being Br-Brandy..."

 

"Aw, what? She was hot..." Richie mumbled. It took him a moment to register everyone's stares were on him because he interrupted Bill again. "Sorry... Christ... I forgot we all bend over for Bill here."

 

"L-Lexi is all-also missing..." he continued, ignoring Richie. Bill bit his lip then looked at Mike and Ben. "I kn-know you two d-didn't meet them. Th-They were sisters and Ge-Georgie was r-really close with L-Lexi. I'm m-more than sure I know wh-what's ha-happening with ev-everything. These-These people aren't just m-missing, they're d-dead..."

 

The teen had moved his gaze down to his sandwich as he continued talking.

 

"B-Back in Oc-October, Georgie and I r-ran into this... thing. I th-think it's some s-s-sort of demon or s-something but it t-takes the form of a cl-clown. It's been tor-torturing us. It's k-killing these people and it's g-getting worse. It h-has some kind of a-attachment to Georgie... I n-need all of you to h-help me k-kill it be-before it does anything more."

 

The others exchanged glances after staring at Bill. They weren't sure how serious he was being. Finally, Stan broke the silence.

"Well, you know I'm in."

 

"I've been looking more into these disappearances and this isn't the first time something like this has happened here," Ben mumbled. He felt nervous by all the stares on him so he did his best to just focus on Bill.

"We're in the middle of another massacre. I don't know how we can do anything to stop it, though..."

 

"I th-think I do." 

 

"Aren't demons, like, immortal or something?" Eddie asked. "How are we supposed kill it?"

 

"I think it u-uses f-fear to its ad-advantage. But if we c-can all st-stick together and n-not be afraid, I think we can k-kill it."

 

"Well, count me out." Richie made his decision quickly. "There's no way I'm going clown hunting with you guys. Especially serial killer, demonic clowns. Fuck that."

 

"R-Richie..." Bill frowned. "Please? I n-need you to be-be with us."

 

"No." Richie shook his head. "Fuck you. I don't like clowns. If you wanna get your ass wrecked by a clown, go ahead. I will not be joining you losers."

 

"It couldn't be _that_ bad, right?" Mike asked, looking at Bill. 

 

"It w-won't be f-fun... We-We're going to have a b-bad time." The teen glanced down.

"I don't w-want to l-lose Georgie to this th-thing... The m-more we out number It, the-the stronger our ch-chances of winning. But I w-won't force any of you to h-help."

 

"I'll help," Mike said. Eddie and Beverly quickly followed suit. Everyone was in except Richie. Bill looked at him. 

 

"Have fun in Hell," he said bitterly. 

 

"We're all-already in Hell..."

 

“Is Lexi really gone?” Beverly asked in a whisper. The other teen nodded sadly.

“That must be why Georgie wants a puppy… He lost his friend.” Beverly looked as sad as Bill felt.

 

“Y-Yeah…”

 

“You said It takes the form of a clown,” Stan started, looking like he was deep in thought. “Has he been anything else?”

 

“I d-don’t know. I know It c-can ch-change its voice s-s-so I’m sure It can ch-change forms.”

 

Stan nodded a bit. He was quiet as he stayed in thought. “…And It has some sort of connection to your brother. …You don’t think it’s possible that it’s the reason Henry has this weird fixation on Georgie, do you?”

 

“G-God, I hope not…”

 

 

 

 

 

After school, the Bowers Gang all met up in the woods where they chained the dog. Duke was still there, waiting for his owner to return. Victor stayed towards the back of the group, feeling so much guilt because he knew what was about to happen. It broke Victor’s heart to see Duke wag his tail happily when he saw him.

 

Henry smirked as he found a fallen branch to use as a switch.

“First thing we’re going to teach is dominance and obedience. Give the mutt some food,” He ordered.

 

Victor was the one to pour dogfood in a bowl for Duke.

 

“Now, back off.” Henry swatted for him to move. He did. The teen stood over the food and waited for the dog to come to it.

Duke looked from Henry to the food bowl a couple times before he made his way closer. With a quick swoop, the bully whipped the dog with the switch. Victor flinched from the sound of Duke yelping in pain.

“Mine.” The teen smirked, placing his foot on the edge of the bowl.

 

Duke had backed away from him and kept watchful eyes glued to him.

 

“Go on, dumb mutt. I know you’re hungry.” He nudged the bowl closer to the dog.

 

Duke was more cautious this round but eventually went towards the bowl. When he stepped closer, Henry brought down the switch harder across his face. The force snapped the stick in half. The dog yelped louder, hunkering down from pain.

 

“Get me a new switch,” he ordered, tossing away the snapped one. “A thicker one.”

Patrick was the one that retrieved one.

 

Henry smirked down at the dog who refused to get any closer no matter how much he nudged the bowl closer.

“That’s right, mutt. I’m the top dog around here.” He beat Duke a few more times for good measure before he kicked the food bowl out of reach from the chained dog.

“Let’s go,” he said to his minions. “We’ll continue this lesson tomorrow.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day on the playground, Georgie noticed something oddly unsettling. Pennywise wasn’t around. The clown didn’t hang around him the day before, either. This was very strange. Even when Pennywise went out killing, he usually always made some type of appearance to the boy during the day. He never missed being around the boy on the playground.

The boy bit his lip as he searched around the playground for him.

“Pennywise?” He asked quietly to himself.

 

He waited a good five minutes for a response; even if it was just a mental response. Nothing. Georgie was alone. The boy wasn’t sure why he didn’t feel at all relieved to not have the clown hovering over him. He looked around again before lightly nudging the ground to move himself on the swings.

“Are you going to push me?” He asked, hoping the clown was going to respond.

 

Georgie felt fear grow inside of him as he chewed on his bottom lip.

“Are you mad at me? …” He paused for an answer. “Did I do something wrong? …Pennywise?”

 

The child stared down at his feet. “Please don’t be mad… If you are I’ll fix it. Please?” He felt tears start to form at his waterline. He didn’t know why he was alone and being ignored. “I don’t have any other friends to play with…”

 

There was still no response or appearance from the clown.

 

“I don’t want to be alone…” Tears fell down Georgie’s cheeks. He was alone.

 

 

 

That night, Georgie was unable to sleep. He kept thinking about how he hadn't seen Pennywise lately. He didn't know why. He tried to remember if he told Bill anything that would count as betraying their deal. The boy bit his lip. He wasn't sure. All he knew was he was very uneasy. Georgie turned to look at his brother beside him. 

 

"Bill..." The boy whispered. "Bill... Bill!"

 

The teen jerked awake from Georgie's little shout.

"Wh-What?" He rubbed his eyes with a tired groan, thinking they needed to adjust to how dark it was from the morning. But it turned out it was still nighttime.

"Are y-you okay?" 

 

"I'm fine. How are you?"

 

"..." Bill inhaled a breath. "Georgie... Wha-What do you want? The s-s-sun isn't even aw-awake yet." 

 

"Something's bothering me..."

 

"C-Can it wait till m-morning?" He asked with a yawn. 

 

"It's about Pennywise..."

 

Bill was quiet for a moment then sighed, slowly forcing himself to sit up and turn on his lamp. He rubbed his eyes again from the sudden light and he looked at his brother. Georgie also sat up. 

"D-Did you have a night-nightmare about him?"

 

"No," Georgie said casually. "I don't dream."

 

Bill furrowed his eyebrows. "Thats cr-creepy. Wh-What do you mean y-you don't dr-dream?"

 

"I don't dream anymore since Pennywise started hanging around me."

 

Bill was a little envious of his brother's lack of dreams. All the teen had was crazy nightmares and he was sure the clown was behind them. 

"Is th-that what's b-bothering you?"

 

"No."

 

The teen waited for the boy to continue but he didn't. Georgie had a blank expression as his eyes were staring off into space. He was thinking.

Bill sighed deeply and slowly. Sometimes his brother could be really frustrating.

"Georgie... my p-patience... it's slowly n-not ex-existing..."

 

"I haven't seen him in a few days..." Georgie finally mumbled, keeping his stare in his lap. 

 

Bill blinked. "S-So? Is-Isn't that good?"

 

"No! We have..." He sighed. There still wasn't a way he could tell his brother about the deal he had with Pennywise. The boy had to stay careful in case this was all just a fake-out by the clown to make him talk. But what he didn't understand was one of the aspects of the deal was he would be able to see Pennywise whenever he was around. So, why wasn't he able to see him now? The child didn't exactly _like_ seeing him constantly but there was a sick sense of peace that came with it. He at least knew where the clown was. After a few silent moments, the boy finally brought his eyes over to meet Bill's. They were wide with worry and fear. "I _always_ see him. Always."

 

"What do-do y-you mean?"

 

"Like, every day. Since the beginning I've always been able to see him." He was referring to the beginning of the deal he made with the clown. "Even when he makes himself unknown to everyone else... I _still_ see him..."

Georgie lowered his voice into a tiny whisper. It was first time he was able to whisper properly. Unfortunately, it was because his voice was too shaky from fear to be able to be any louder.

"I don't know where he is... Something's wrong and it scares me."

 

Bill lowered his eyes with thought. He honestly didn't know what to say, much less know how to comfort his brother.

"Y-You see him even wh-when I don't?"

 

The boy nodded and Bill sighed again.

"M-Maybe he f-finally got bored with us and m-m-moved on to other p-people."

 

Georgie shook his head as-a-matter-of-factly.

"If he was bored then he'd kill us before he leaves."

The boy squeezed his fingers. "I'm sorry... I feel like we're in a big mess because of me..."

 

"G-Georgie..."

 

"I think I might die soon." He said it so casually.

 

"Stop."

 

"But if Pennywise is mad at me then... then..." Georgie was on the verge of tears by this point. 

 

Bill pulled the boy into his lap. "St-Stop."

 

"Billy..." The boy trembled as he pressed into his brother's chest. "I'm really scared..."

 

"It's oh-okay." The teen did his best to try to sooth him. He rubbed his back gently.

 

"No, it's not..." He started to cry more.

 

"You j-just need sl-sleep..."

Bill hushed him softly and reached over to turn out his light.

 

"Don't turn off the light!"

 

The teen blinked and looked at his brother but the child explained himself before he could ask what was wrong. 

 

"If he's going to kill me, I want to see it coming."

 

Bill looked pained and he stroked the boy's hair.

"Georgie... I w-wouldn’t let that h-happen. I'd thr-throw myself at him be-before he gets any-anywhere near you."

 

"That wouldn't stop him from coming for me once he kills you."

 

"D-Don't be so m-morbid..." The teen laid his brother down and got comfortable beside him. "You're s-s-seven. You sh-shouldn't be thinking about d-death so much."

 

"You do it."

 

"I'm old... I h-have one th-thing to look f-forward to."

 

That won a little giggle out of Georgie and the teen smirked. 

"We're-We're going to beat this. We h-have to." He leaned over to kiss the boy's forehead. 

 

Georgie was obviously tired but fought back the urge to sleep as best he could. Bill didn't help in the child's quest to stay awake forever. He was playing with his hair; Georgie's weakness. The teen chuckled softly as he watched his brother's eyes slowly close, then jerk back open from determination, ultimately falling back down again. After a short while, the boy was out.

Bill smiled as he watched him sleep. He was going to stay awake longer to watch him but the light from the lamp suddenly cut out. Bill stared blankly as the room went from well-lit to pitch black. He pulled his brother closer and protectively covered him with himself. 

"He-He's mine," he mumbled to what he hoped to be nothing but a dead lightbulb. 


	24. A Fire Inside

Bill found himself in a dark parking lot. The only lights were orange street lamps that illuminated parts of the lot. It was raining steadily. The teen walked down the pavement until he saw Pennywise standing under one of the lamps. Bill stared at the clown. He didn’t look away from him until a familiar laughter stole his attention. The laughter came from Georgie. The small boy ran by Bill, heading right for Pennywise.

 

“Georgie!”

 

The boy ignored him. He giggled happily and circled the clown, splashing his rain boots in puddles of blood. The teen hurried over to his brother to get him back. He called his name again and the boy stopped to turn to him. Georgie didn’t say anything. He simply grabbed Pennywise’s hand and slowly everything started to shift. A few projector slides went by before finally settling on a new scene. It looked to be a circus or some kind of fair. Georgie was ahead of him, running over to one of the rides. Bill was about to call for him but something caught his attention from the corner of his eye.

He turned just in time to catch Pennywise stepping behind him. The teen took a step back as he stared up at the clown. He was too close for comfort to him. All the red in Pennywise’s face were a bright, candy apple shade rather than being dark.

 

"Why do you keep bothering me?" He asked.

 

The clown grinned widely and slowly at him. "Because you're weak," He whispered.

 

 

Bill suddenly woke from his dream with an uneasy feeling. Most of the details slowly vanished but his small encounter with the clown stayed prominent in his mind. He didn’t like any of this. He just wanted it all the end. As much as Bill wanted to ponder on it, he couldn’t. The night of his play was in just a couple short weeks and he had to get prepared for it. He also made a mental reminder to check back at the pet store for Butterscotch. But for now, he needed sleep.

 

Bill’s night was restless at best. He felt like he didn’t sleep at all. He tried again to push it all back but the fear kept returning. His fear of something happening to Georgie wouldn't let him completely relax. The teen opened his eyes when he felt his brother stir in his arms. 

 

Georgie blinked, glancing around for a moment before sighing. "Oh, I'm still living," he deadpanned softly. 

 

Bill chuckled and he squeezed his brother closer as if he was stuffed toy. "Don't s-sound so dis-disappointed." 

 

The boy hummed and looked at his brother. "Can we skip school today?"

 

"S-Since when do y-you wanna play h-hooky?" Bill asked with a smirk. 

 

"I don't like school..." He frowned. "I want to stay with you."

 

The teen sighed before sitting up. "If-If you don't l-like school now th-then you'll h-hate high school."

 

That didn't make the boy feel any better. He whined pitifully just as their father walked down the hallway.

Zack paused at Bill's room. "Why is Georgie in your room?"

 

"He sl-sleeps with me."

 

The man narrowed his eyes at the teen.

"I didn't allow for that."

 

"I d-didn't ask for your per-permission."

 

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" The boy chanted playfully. 

 

The teen hissed and doubled over his brother to cover his mouth. Georgie laughed loudly and squirmed away from Bill. He slid off the bed and ran to go downstairs, squeezing by Zack. The teen smirked and got up to follow his brother. He returned a similar glare to Zack as he walked by him. 

 

Georgie already made it to the kitchen table with cinnamon rolls their mom just finished making. He had four sitting on a plate in front of him. Bill sat next to him and reached for one. The boy quickly swatted his hand. 

 

"Get your own!"

 

"Y-You c-can't eat four!"

 

"Watch me!" The boy giggled and started pushing one of them in his mouth. 

 

Bill laughed and stole one and bit into it. He watched his brother eat with a chuckle.

 

"Don't sw-swallow it whole. Ch-Chew it first, G-Georgie."

 

"I do chew!"

 

"T-Two bites don't c-count. Y-You're not a p-python." 

 

"Pythons don't have to go to school..." The boy mumbled, eating another one.

 

Bill smiled and shook his head. The teen took his second cinnamon roll upstairs with him since he and Georgie had to get dressed for school. 

 

"My stomach hurts..."

 

"Th-That's because you sw-swallowed two wh-whole cinn-cinnamon rolls. Chew n-next time." He smirked and patted his head. 

 

The teen wasn’t sure how he felt about bringing home a puppy to surprise his parents along with Georgie. He had a bad feeling about it but he couldn’t deny Georgie. The boy never asked for much and he deserved a puppy. He deserved Butterscotch. He was too sweet to not have Butterscotch. Bill decided to keep going back to the pet store a secret from his brother because he didn’t need him getting too excited.

 

When the end of the week came, Bill left rehearsal early to go into town. He only hoped the same lady as before was still working at the pet shop. Thankfully, she was also working today.

“H-Hey,” He said as he walked in the store.

 

The lady smiled at him. She remembered him and the little boy from the last visit.

“Hi. I’m guessing you’re here for Butterscotch?” She asked.

 

The teen sighed with a nod. “Is-Is he still here?”

 

“He is but…” She bit her lip. “…He… had a bad reaction to his shots… I can’t sell him.”

 

“What h-happened?” Bill frowned and walked back to the puppy section to see for himself. The worker followed him. Sure enough, Butterscotch was there but he didn’t look healthy. He was lying on the floor looking absolutely miserable. The once happy to be alive puppy was now wishing for death.

 

“You-You’re going to k-kill him, aren’t you?” He asked quietly.

 

The lady nodded sadly. “We have to… But the other puppy is perfectly healthy!”

 

Bill shook his head. “My br-brother did-didn’t fall in love w-with the other puppy.” He gave a forced smile before slowly leaving the store. He felt crushed. He knew how much Georgie wanted Butterscotch.

 

When he got back to the school, Beverly met him.

“Did you get Butterscotch.”

 

Bill sadly shook his head. “He-He’s sick…”

 

Beverly matched his frown. “Are you going to tell Georgie?”

 

“N-No. I d-don’t want to s-see him cry anymore.”

 

There was no way Bill could stay focused on the play. He needed to go home to Georgie. He said bye to Beverly and quickly traveled home, going straight up to the boy who was in Bill's room. He pulled Georgie in a tight hug. 

 

The boy blinked and giggled a tiny bit. "You're home early. Why?"

 

"No r-reason," he mumbled in Georgie's shoulder. "I just m-m-missed you." He lifted his head and looked at the homework the boy was working on. 

"D-Do you need h-help with math? I'm r-r-really good at math."

 

He took the workbook and stared at it for a moment, flipping through it. He wanted to make it up to Georgie somehow for not getting Butterscotch. He figured helping with homework would be a good start.

 

"I really d-don't know an-any of this." He deadpanned after staring at the word problems. 

 

Georgie giggled and he kissed his brother's cheek before taking his workbook back and leaving to go to his own room.

"You're distracting me."

 

The teen sighed and laid back on the bed, thinking about Butterscotch.

 

 

The rest of the weeks went by fast as it soon became the day of the play. When school ended, Bill and Stan met Georgie outside. Sharon was going to be a little late getting home so Bill decided to have his brother hang around the high school for a bit. They went back inside to head to the auditorium. The boy enjoyed looking around at everything. Most everyone was gone or leaving. Georgie felt the need to run around to explore but Bill kept ahold of his hand to prevent him from doing just that.

When they got to the auditorium doors, Georgie gasped and stopped.

"Wait! You can't bring me in there..."

 

Both Stan and Bill blinked with confusion then looked where the boy was pointing up to. It was a sign that specified no food or drink permitted inside. The teens were still confused and glanced down at the boy who smiled at them.

“Why not?” Stan asked.

 

"I'm a snack!" 

 

Bill snorted from the boy’s declaration and Stan busted out laughing. The older sibling ruffled Georgie's hair with a laugh.

"Yeah, y-you're a little p-p-pastry." 

 

Stan smirked and opened the door for the other boys to go in first.

The boy giggled, following his brother. "What kind of pastry?"

 

"Only the b-best. You'd be a-a donut with pink fr-frosting and spr-sprinkles."

 

Georgie smiled happily. "I'm delicious!"

 

Bill laughed. "Y-Yeah. Wh-What would I be?"

 

"A bagel." He said with little thought. He gasped loudly when he saw Beverly. “Beverly!!!”

 

"Y-You _are_ getting r-rude..." The teen smirked and watched his brother run off ahead of him to tackle Beverly. 

 

“Georgie!!” She met the boy with open arms and spun him around while hugging him.

 

Stan chuckled and he nudged Bill lightly. “If it makes you feel any better, I think you’d be one of those confetti cupcakes.”

 

Bill grinned. “Th-Thanks.”

 

Beverly took Georgie on stage with her and Bill joined them. Stan stayed off stage, leaning his arms on the edge. The other students were already fawning over the boy.

 

“Who’s this little dude?” One guy asked.

 

“My br-brother, Georgie.”

 

“Heeyy, little Billy goat.” The guy smiled at the boy.

 

“Hello!”

 

“He’s so cute!” A couple girls went over to him. Georgie was more interested in the set rather than the girls.

 

“This is so cool!” Georgie said as he walked to one of the walls. “It looks so real. Does this door really open?” He asked as he tried the doorknob. It did open. “It does!” He was so fascinated by everything.

 

“That leads backstage,” One of the guys told him. “Crazy stuff goes on back there.”

 

“G-Georgie stay out h-here where I can s-see you.” Bill said, discouraging him from going in the door.

 

The boy frowned then found one of the scripts someone had left lying around.

“I wanna be the wife!”

 

Beverly smiled at him. “You can’t be the wife. That’s the part I play, Georgie.”

 

“I can do it better.” He said bluntly.

 

Beverly looked over at Bill and he just shrugged apologetically.

“H-He’s getting a l-l-little rude.”

 

“A little?” She laughed.

 

The teacher walked in the auditorium and he stopped when he saw the child on stage. He stared at him, looking confused. “What?”

 

“H-He’s mine.” Bill said.

 

“Oh. Well, he can’t stay here.” The teacher said as he watched the other students get distracted by how cute Georgie was.

 

Bill blushed a little from embarrassment and he nodded. “G-Georgie, c-come here.”

 

The boy had wondered off and came from backstage with a handful of different designed and colored tablets.

 

“St-Stan is going to t-take you h-h-“ He paused when he saw what the boy was holding. “What- Wh-Where’d you get that?!”

 

“Some guy in a corner gave me this candy.” Georgie smiled. His brother quickly snatched them away and tossed them as far as he could throw them.

 

“D-D-Don’t eat those! And don’t t-take anything fr-from anyone un-unless I s-s-say it’s okay!”

 

“Was that E?” Stan started laughing by how fast Bill’s dad mode activated. He shook his head. “Georgie, come here. Jump!” He took a step back and held out his arms. The boy jumped off the stage and Stan caught him. “You’re not old enough for that ride. Let’s get you home.”

 

“But I don’t want to go home!” The boy pouted.

 

“G-Georgie, I need you to f-find that cam-camera Br-Brandy gave me and g-give it to Stan.”

 

The boy huffed. “Fine…”

 

 

The teen smiled and set the boy down as they walked out of the school. Stan held his hand as he took him back to his house. He let the boy go inside first.

“Do you know where the camera Bill wants me to get is?”

 

“Yep!” The boy happily went up to Bill’s room to fetch the polaroid camera.

 

Stan followed him and looked around the room. He smiled at Georgie when he handed him the camera.

“Thank you.”

 

“Can we go back to school with Billy?”

 

The teen hummed then shook his head.

“Bill needs to focus on the play tonight. You’ll distract him if you’re running around.” He ruffled the boy’s hair.

 

He pouted a little bit. “But I’ll be good!”

 

Stan chuckled. “Your mom is going to be home soon anyways. There’s only a couple hours until the play starts. That’ll go by quicker than you think.”

 

Georgie still pouted as he followed the teen downstairs. He wanted to stay with Bill but he also didn’t want to distract him. As they made it to the kitchen, Stan got an idea.

“Hey, wanna take a quick picture?”

 

“Okay!”

 

Stan took a couple steps back and counted to three before taking the photo of Georgie. Just as the picture was taken, they heard someone walk in the front door. The boy excitedly ran over to greet his mother but stopped when he saw that it was Zack who came home.

“Where’s mom…?” He asked in a tiny voice.

 

“She had to work late, so I have to be the one to watch you.” Zack walked by him to get to the refrigerator in the kitchen.

 

Stan waited for the picture to come in and he smiled at how it turned out. He then looked at Zack.

“Hello, Mr. Denbrough.”

 

“Why are you in my house?” He narrowed his eyes at the teen.

 

“…I was just leaving…” He walked over to Georgie. “You’re really photogenic, Georgie.”

 

“Thank you!”

 

He smiled as he headed out the door. “I’ll see you tonight.”

 

Zack glared as Stan left then looked at his son. “Why is he taking pictures of you? And why are you seeing him tonight?”

 

Georgie blinked. “Bill’s play is tonight. We’re supposed to go to that.”

 

“Oh.” He had forgotten about the stupid play. “We’re not going to that.”

 

“Why not?” The boy frowned.

 

“Because what I say goes.” Zack took the beer he retrieved from the fridge and went into the living room.

 

Georgie sighed and slowly headed for the stairs but his father stopped him.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“…My room.”

 

“No, stay down here where I can keep an eye on you. I’m supposed to be watching you.”

 

The boy made an uncomfortable noise as Zack grabbed his wrist and pulled him over to couch with him.

 

 

 

 

"Tonight's the night, boys." Henry smirked, looking over at the other bullies. "Get ready."

 

Victor and Belch exchanged glances while they waited for further instruction. Patrick had just finished lighting a makeshift bonfire at their meeting place in the woods.

Duke was visibly angry and agitated. His whole nature had changed to something worse from the constant abuse. The dog sat with his guard up. The pops of the fire didn't seem to scare him. He was constantly looking for an opportunity to run away or lunge at Henry's throat. 

 

 

Georgie shifted uncomfortably and checked the clock multiple times within the minute. He didn't like being alone with his dad. There was no one there to act as a buffer between them for when he got angry. The boy carefully glanced over to look at his dad. Zack didn't seem to be in a hostile mood. Yet.

When his father's eyes shifted to meet his gaze, he quickly turned away. Georgie turned his eyes to the television. He could still feel Zack's eyes on him which grew his discomfort. The boy squeezed his fingers in his lap and started to tell himself that he was fine. There was nothing to worry about. Zack usually only got hostile when he had been drinking a lot. Georgie only saw one bottle around so everything was fine. He had no reason to be uneasy. 

The boy took a deep breath as he continued to coach himself into a calmer state. 

 

Zack had kept watching him. "Why are you so tense?" He asked, touching the boy's hair.

The touch made all Georgie's progress of calming down go right out the window. He was more on edge than ever. The boy stayed quiet and stiff, hoping Zack would lose interest and stop bothering him. Zack didn't.

 

"I wish you'd loosen up a little and relax."

He pulled the boy further back on the couch and closer to him so now he was pressed against him. Georgie made a sound he immediately regretted and pulled his knees up to his chest defensively.

"You used to actually like being with me. Why did all that change this fall?"

 

Georgie didn't speak. He was simply thinking of how Zack refused to believe him when he came to him about the clown. He needed his father's trust and he didn't get that. Bill was the only one that believed him so Bill became the only one he trusted. The boy glanced down as he thought about his parents. He wished to be closer to them and have them more involved with what was going on but neither of them took him seriously. 

 

"You're going to speak to me, boy. Like it or not." Zack said as he grabbed the boy by the chin to make him look at him. He was tired of being ignored by his own son. Georgie looked at him in exchange for not being manhandled. 

 

"The clown..." He mumbled.

 

"What?" 

 

"The clown. You didn't believe me when I said he's real."

 

Zack sighed heavily, starting to feel annoyed. "Are you _still_ on about that thing?" He shut his eyes and rubbed his temple. 

 

"You didn't believe me but Bill did." Georgie kept his voice tiny as to not agitate him too much.

 

Zack opened his eyes again to look at his son. "Bill is humoring you. You're just a toy that's easily manipulated."

 

The boy blinked as he looked at his dad drink more from the alcohol bottle. He wished he didn't drink. 

 

"He's simply agreeing with you about this clown nonsense because he's weak, and it's easier for him to just make you happy. Is that why you're so attached to him now? Because he gives in to what you want?"

 

Georgie didn't respond. He could tell that Zack's reasoning was slowly disappearing. He must have been drinking earlier because everything was escalating too fast.

 

"That's it, isn't it?" He smirked and grabbed the boy by the neck. "You want to be in charge?" 

 

Georgie immediately pushed his hand away. Luckily, Zack wasn't holding him too tightly and he released him. 

"Billy doesn't hurt me..." He mumbled softly. 

 

"I don't hurt you either."

 

The boy frowned.

"Yes, you do... You hurt both of us."

 

Zack rolled his eyes with a huff. 

"It's called discipline. Something you don't get enough of." 

 

Georgie stayed quiet. His eyes went down with thought then went back up to meet Zack's. The man's eyes were glazed now from the alcohol. Georgie knew he should just continue to stay quiet since he had no one to help him if things turned bad but he wasn't able to filter his next question in time.

"What's the difference in abuse and discipline?"

 

It would have been best if Georgie stayed silent because that question was more than what Zack wanted to deal with while buzzed. 

"Discipline is out of love. Abuse would be if I enjoyed it." 

 

The boy was still confused. He didn't see much difference. 

"But I don't like it."

 

"Not everything is about you!" 

 

Georgie shrunk down with a slight noise at his father's sudden raise in volume. He didn't want things to escalate any more but Zack already crossed over into being angry. 

 

"When you do something wrong, that's when I when beat you. It's to make you learn and that's discipline."

 

"I never said beat..." he mumbled. 

 

"What?"

 

Georgie was silent which only got the man more annoyed at him.

 

"Speak up," he said with a slight slur.

 

The boy swallowed. "...I said hurt. I never said beat... But you said it."

 

Zack took a couple moments to try to recall their conversation.

 

"Wouldn't beating be abusing?" His voice was a scared mumble. He didn't know why he felt the need to try to confront him now of all times. 

 

"I didn't say that." Zack was double talking himself now. 

 

"Maybe if you didn't drink so much you would remember what you said?" Georgie continued to keep his voice quiet but that only agitated Zack further.

 

He was frustrated and confused by the alcohol to deal with his boy's nonsense.

"Okay, this is why you need more discipline. You talk back."

 

"How can we have a conversation if I can't talk back?" 

 

Zack huffed angrily and grabbed the boy's neck much harder now.

"That mouth of yours is going to get you in a world of trouble."

 

Georgie released a scared yelp and dug his nails into his father's hand and wrist to get him to let go. Zack jerked the boy into his lap by the hand around his throat. His other hand was busy holding the beer bottle that he'd been religiously drinking from.

 

"All you've been doing lately is asking for trouble and I've let you." 

 

Georgie couldn't make out any sounds due to the man's hand closing tighter around his neck. He was biting his tongue. 

 

"I shouldn't have let you get comfortable around all Bill's no-good friends. You shouldn't be hanging around a bunch of teenagers."

 

The boy's vision was starting to get darker. He thought he was still clawing at Zack's hand but he was just holding it. 

 

"You reflect on me. So, how do you think it makes me look when I hear all these little stories about you and these high schoolers. You think I like when people come to me to ask if it's true that my youngest boy is some gang's bitch?"

 

Georgie made one last attempt to flail around, successfully knocking the bottle out of his dad's hand. Zack's reaction time was slower and he loosened his grip when he noticed his other hand was now empty. A quick wave of anger hit the man as he registered what the boy did.

"Damn it!"

He tossed the child easily into the coffee table. He slid off on the other side, taking anything that was crowding the table with him. Georgie was exhausted, taking in much needed oxygen. All his energy was shot. He wanted nothing more than to just close his eyes and go to sleep but he forced himself to move. His body felt ten times heavier and his movements were a slow crawl. He didn't know how but he managed to get on his feet to stumble away. He just hoped he could disappear before his father caught him. 

 

"Where are you going?" Zack asked when he glanced up from getting his bottle. 

 

The boy didn't answer. All his energy was used on getting away.

 

" _Where are you going_?" He asked with more anger. 

 

"I have to pee!" He lied. He quietly went to the kitchen to crawl into a cabinet. He was small enough to fit underneath the sink. He just needed a place to rest and hide. The boy heard his father walk in another part of the house to find him. Georgie was well hidden. He used this place often when he and Bill would play hide-and-seek. The boy slipped into an exhausted slumber just as he heard his father call for him again. He slept for hours.

 

 

 

At the school, the auditorium was packed. Students scattered backstage to get ready for the curtain to rise. Bill was out stage to help another student set up everything. The teen did his best to not acknowledge the large crowd of people just in front of him. He drowned out all sound except the voice of the other student. When they finished, Bill scanned the crowd looking for Georgie. He frowned when he didn't see him anywhere. It hurt that neither of his parents were there to see him but Bill chose to focus on Georgie's absence. He hoped he was okay.

 

Someone calling his name caught the teen's attention. He couldn't help but to smile at his friends. Bill went over to them. Everyone was present except Richie. Eddie sat on the end, Stan, Mike, then Ben. 

"H-Hey guys."

The teen slid in the rows a bit to stand in between Eddie and Stan. 

 

"Hey, Bill!"

 

"How do you feel?" Ben asked him.

 

"L-Like I could th-throw up." Bill chuckled. 

 

Eddie focused on the band on Bill's left hand. He reached out to look at it and the teen allowed him to take his hand. Stanley looked over at him.

"Are you trying to hold his hand?"

 

"Calm down! I'm just looking at the ring." The boy smirked. 

 

Bill smiled a little. "My-My hand's kind of s-sweaty."

 

Eddie giggled. "It's okay."

 

Stan was still watching Eddie's hand hold Bill's until the teen grabbed his attention.

 

"Has anyone s-s-seen Georgie?"

 

"Nope." They all shook their heads.

 

Bill frowned then looked at Stan.

 

"They're probably just running late. Your dad is the one that came home." 

 

The teen blinked, trying to register what his friend just told him. He pulled his hand back from Eddie.

"D-Dad's with Georgie?" 

Bill looked incredibly concerned. He knew he wouldn't have enough time to go all the way home and come back before the show started. He should have just kept Georgie.

"C-Can one of you g-go to my house and ch-check on him? I n-need to know he's okay."

 

"I'm sure he's fine, Bill." Ben tried to put him at ease but the teen was far from calm.

 

"I'll go," Mike offered.

 

"W-Would you?"

 

"Yeah. It's no problem." He smiled a little and got up. "I'll bring him back with me."

 

"Pl-Please, do. Thanks s-so much, Mike."

Bill moved out of the row to give Mike room to leave.

"I g-got to get backst-stage now."

 

“Oh, wait!” Stan dug in his pocket for the photo of Georgie and he handed it to Bill. “Just in case he doesn’t make it, he’ll still be with you.”

 

Bill smiled as he looked down at the picture. “Th-Thanks.” He put it in his pocket as he turned to leave.

 

"Tell Bev we said good luck!" Ben said.

 

He smiled and nodded. He eventually found his way backstage with Beverly.

 

"There you are." She whispered. "Where have you been?"

 

"Thr-Throwing up," he said casually. 

 

"Oh, God." Beverly chuckled. "I have to kiss you out there."

 

Bill also chuckled. "Just k-kiss my cheek."

 

"Do you at least feel better now?"

 

"Yeah, I'm g-great." He said as he felt the photo in his pocket.


	25. Blurry

Georgie woke up slowly where he was; under the sink. He didn't know how long he slept. He was still tired but not near as exhausted as he was earlier. The boy carefully climbed out, wincing when he knocked over everything just as he pulled his foot out. The cleaning bottles acted as tipped dominos, all tumbling down. 

Georgie froze as he listened for sounds of his father. There was snoring coming from the living room. His father must have passed out on the couch. The boy sighed with relief. He was glad that Zack was sleeping. Georgie still tried to be as quiet as he could as he made it over to the front door. It was raining softly so the boy paused to step into his boots and he grabbed his rain coat on the way out. 

 

The sun was well on its way to setting. Street lamps have already switched on, guiding the sidewalks in the dark. Georgie put his hood up as he followed the orange lights toward the direction of the high school.

The lights blurred in the rain and the boy cupped his hands out to catch the tiny pieces of ice that fell.

"It's hailing..." He mumbled to himself. 

 

The boy looked around as it quickly grew dark around him. He began talking quietly to himself so he wouldn't feel so alone. When he got halfway to the school, he noticed a teen walking towards him. It wasn't until the teen stepped beneath a light post for him to recognize who he was. It was Victor. 

 

The teen uncomfortably stopped and waited for the child to walk to him.

 

"Hi." Georgie said softly when he got closer.

 

Victor forced a tiny smile but then noticed all the bruises on the boy's neck. It looked as if Henry already went at him. He knew that wasn't true because he was just with Henry. He was ordered to go find the kid and kidnap him.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked. He was still looking at the bruises. They were deep and fresh. It made the teen's stomach sink. He didn’t want the kid to go through any of this. He felt worse because he knew what Henry and the others we're going to do soon. 

 

"Going to see Billy." The boy still found a way to smile despite what he just went through. "He's in a play!" He said with pride. 

 

The teen smiled for just a second at the boy's happiness. 

"Maybe you should stay home..." Victor didn't want to go through with this. He didn’t want the kid to get killed. 

 

Georgie shook his head and frowned at the mention of home.

 

"Well..." Victor tried to think of a way to get the boy to his brother without the gang finding him. "Can you at least go a different way?"

 

"This is the only way I know."

 

The teen sighed and bit his nail in thought.

"Okay, just follow me." He walked out from underneath the street lamp and guided the boy in the dark. 

 

 

Back in the woods, Patrick was agitating the dog for fun while they wait for Henry's signal. 

 

Belch looked over at the leader who started chuckling. 

 

"Let the dog loose," he commanded. 

 

"Are you sure?" Belch asked. "What's if he runs?"

 

"Then keep up! Victor should have our little bunny by now. The mutt's going to lead you right to him."

 

Patrick smiled and unchained the dog who immediately bolted. Duke wanted to take a bite out of Henry on his way but Henry looked meaner than ever. Instead, the dog rushed out of the woods for freedom. 

 

Henry watched the dog then gave a glare at the two twats that were still standing around.

"Don't just stand here! Go!"

 

With that, the teens ran after Duke. 

 

 

Victor glanced around often as he briskly walked towards the school. He thought about taking him through the park to get there but that would take much longer. The shortest route was to follow the street lights. The teen stayed in the darkness of the road so it wouldn't be as easy to see he was leading the boy to the school. 

 

"Wait!"

 

Victor looked behind him to find the boy having difficulty keeping up with his pace.

 

"Your legs are longer than mine!"

 

He gave an apologetic, but anxious, smile. "Sorry..."

 

Georgie sighed a little bit when he finally caught up.

"What's wrong?" He was picking up on Victor's worry which made himself uneasy.

 

"Nothing," he said as he started walking again. "I just want to hurry up and get you to Bill." He looked around again.

 

"What?"

 

"I thought I heard a dog barking..."

 

"Ooo, puppy! Do you have a dog?"

 

"Sorta..."

 

"What's his name?"

 

"Duke." 

 

"Like the mayonnaise?" He asked excitedly.

 

"Um, sure?" Victor turned his head again when he heard a bark in the distance. "I definitely heard a dog." He pushed the boy by the shoulders. "The school's not far from here just run! Follow the lights!"

 

The boy frowned, feeling frightened as he was prompted to run. He raced over to the sidewalk. The moment he got underneath the street lamp, the orange lights flickered off. Georgie whined but kept running in the dark. 

 

 

Mike was leaving the school when the street lights went out. He frowned as looked up at one of them. "An outage? That's weird..."

 

 

The barking became louder as Duke ran closer. Victor tried calling the dog over to him but Duke was focused on the only other thing running; Georgie. He ran after the boy, wanting to release the pent-up anger inside him. The boy just so happened to be the easiest target. Victor ran after Duke, calling his name. 

Georgie whined louder as he heard the dog was right on his heels. Glancing back was enough time for Duke to close the gap between them and pounce on the boy, easily bringing him down by how much he outweighed him. Before the dog could do anything, a loud gunshot froze everyone. 

 

It took a moment to realize it was Duke who was hit. The shot killed him. Georgie looked behind him to find the dog was lifeless. He frowned and teared up.

"Aww... Mayonnaise..." He cautiously petted the giant dog's nose as if he was just playing pretend and needed someone to tell him it was okay to open his eyes. 

When he didn't wake up, the boy climbed to his feet just in time for the street lamps to flicker back on. They revealed Henry not far from him with a gun aimed straight at him. 

 

" _Sit_!" The bully ordered.

 

Georgie immediately dropped back down on his hands and knees.

Henry smirked at how obedient he was being.

"Good boy..."

 

Victor saw that Patrick was moving to come up from behind the boy. He didn’t want to let this happen so he moved towards him. Henry's piercing eyes landed on Victor the moment he stepped closer and he pointed his gun at him. The teen froze in his tracks. Henry was seconds away from pulling the trigger but got distracted by the other bully. Patrick gleefully walked up from behind Georgie and clubbed him with a baseball bat as if he was a baby seal. The impact was enough to knock the boy out.

 

Henry chuckled, lowering his gun.

“Good…”

He looked over at Belch who stayed back a bit. “You,” he pointed to him. “Carry the bunny back to the fire.”

 

Belch frowned at the demand but he didn’t fight it. He scooped up the little boy. Patrick also frowned and looked over at Henry.

“Why can’t I carry him? I knocked him out.”

 

“I don’t trust you.” He narrowed his eyes at him. “Belch is in charge until I get there.”

 

Patrick sighed then turned to follow Belch.

 

“Drop the bat,” Henry said sternly.

 

The teen did as he was told but not without an attitude, swinging the bat behind him. Henry retuned his attention to Victor once the others left. Victor didn’t make any moves.

“I want you to get rid of this mutt.” He nudged the dead dog with his foot. “Drop it in the river, bury it, I don’t care. Just get rid of it. When you’re done, you know where to find us.” Henry shoved his shoulder against Victor’s as he walked by him.

 

The teen stared angrily at nothing while Henry left. His eyes slowly softened with sorrow when he walked over to his dog. All he could think about was at least Duke wouldn’t be in pain anymore. He carefully lifted him to find a place to bury him.

 

 

Mike was nearby when the street lights cut back on. He hid behind a tree that was close by so he wouldn’t be spotted by one of the bullies. He couldn’t believe anything he just saw. Once Victor walked away, Mike quickly ran to grab the bat for protection and he followed the direction Henry went. He had to get Georgie back.

 

 

 

Back at the school, the play was well on its way. Bill glanced to the back of the auditorium when the back doors opened. He hoped it would be Mike and Georgie. He noticed it was Richie who slipped in. The teen smiled to himself. He knew his friend would show up.

 

 

 

Belch carried the boy back to the gang's meeting place and placed him on the ground.

 

"What should we do now?" Patrick asked.

 

"Wait for Henry to get here." Belch didn't particularly want to do anything else to the child. He much rather keep his distance until forced to do more.

 

Patrick frowned as he looked down at the unconscious boy. "Henry better hurry up..." Then the bully remembered what he had for the boy. "Oh, yeah!" He went over to grab the shock collar he had put down near a tree. 

 

"What's that?" Belch asked, watching him go over to the boy to put the collar around his neck.

 

"A shock collar." He chuckled. He was way too happy for any sane person to be hooking up a child with a dog shock collar. He tightened the strap so the two prongs dug into the boy's throat. "But this collar is special."

 

"How so?"

 

"It goes off when it's triggered by the vibrations in his neck. So, if he starts screaming, this thing will zap him to shut him up."

 

Belch frowned at the psycho's chuckle. He couldn't decide who was worse; Henry or Patrick. 

 

It wasn't too much longer when Henry made his way back to the gang.

"Is our little bunny awake yet?" He asked with a smirk. 

 

"I think he's waking up now," Belch said as he saw Georgie begin to stir. 

 

Henry walked over to him and kneeled down. He didn't seem bothered by the shock collar around him but he wasn't pleased when he saw bruises on his neck. Henry immediately darted his eyes to Patrick.

"Did you fuck with him?"

 

"No." He narrowed his eyes back at him. He didn't appreciate the accusation. "He came like that."

 

Henry looked over to Belch for confirmation. The other bully nodded, vouching for him. Henry hummed, looking down at the child.

"Hmm... So, someone else is..." 

 

 

Georgie groaned as he opened his eyes. His head was killing him. He blinked when he noticed something attached to his neck, reaching a hand up to touch the black box.

 

"Glad to see you're finally awake to join us, bunny~" Henry pinned Georgie down by pressing his knee down on the boy's chest. The boy grunted and tried shoving the older male's knee off him but he wouldn't budge. He was about to take a breath to scream but Patrick interrupted him. 

 

"You're gonna want to stay quiet, bucko." Patrick smirked at the boy. "Talk too much and you'll get zapped." He motioned to his neck. 

 

Georgie shut his mouth and swallowed. He didn't want to be shocked. The boy's eyes went back to look up at Henry when he felt him touch his hair.

"I noticed you've already got some trophies on your neck. I didn't know you were already being used." He smirked. "I guess it makes sense. Bill's already claimed you."

 

"Let me go!"

 

"Ah, ah, ah..." Henry shook his finger then brought it to his lips. "Shhh. You don't want to get... zapped!" He quickly shot his hand in the boy's face to startle him. It worked. The boy let out a short, high pitched yelp. Fortunately, it wasn't enough to trigger the collar. 

 

Henry laughed at him.

"Awww~ He's scared, boys~ Let's go ahead and get this party rolling." He looked at Patrick. "Hold his feet down."

 

Patrick nodded then went over to the boy but Georgie moved his feet away from him.

"No!"

 

Patrick managed to grab his ankles and he pinned them to the ground. 

 

"Brand him first." 

 

"Wait, where's Victor?" Belch asked. "Are we going to wait for him?"

 

"Who cares." Henry rolled his eyes. "You're in charge of branding, remember? Hurry up."

 

Georgie didn't know what they meant by branding but he knew he didn't want to find out.

Henry looked down at the boy with a smile.

"I can feel your heart pounding," he whispered to him. 

 

"Don't do that..." Georgie mumbled quietly. “Just let me go, please…”

 

“Awww~ Since you said please, I’m going to kill you that much slower.”

 

Patrick gave Henry at look. “You said I get to kill him!”

 

Henry didn’t respond as he turned his attention to Belch. “Hurry up!”

 

Belch sighed and went to fetch the makeshift striking iron they made. It had been sitting in the fire the whole time so he had to use pliers to get it out. 

 

Patrick was chuckling with excitement. Belch was much less than thrilled as he pulled the iron wire out of the flames. It was bent into the shape of a tiny, leaping bunny. Appropriate since Henry dubbed the boy as bunny.

 

"For this to work, you're going to have to really press it in him." Henry said. "You going to chicken out? Or do I need to let Patrick do it?"

 

"I got it..." He mumbled. "I have to be quick with it so where do I put it?"

 

"On his waist."

 

"No!!" Georgie tried his best to wriggle free but a loud beep from the collar startled him. 

 

Henry glanced at the boy then looked to Patrick. "What was that about?"

 

"He gets two warning beeps. After that, he's fried."

 

Henry smirked. "Hear that, bunny? You get one more warning."

 

Georgie was trembling and he tried to get the teen's knee off him but he couldn't from the weight he was putting on him. Patrick was sitting his knees on the boy's legs so he wasn't able to squirm them. 

Henry tugged the boy's shirt up to expose his belly and Patrick pulled down the waistband of his pants a bit to get the perfect spot for the iron. 

 

"Right there is fine. Just be sure to hold him still."

 

Belch took a breath before he pulled the iron out of the flame and carried it over to them. Georgie screamed again when he kneeled down next to Patrick, causing his final warning to go off. He was scared of what the pain might be. He didn't want to go through it. 

 

"I don't know why you're so scared. Think of it as a free tattoo."

Henry chuckled and applied more pressure on the boy to keep him down. He also pushed his face to the side with one hand and kept his head pinned there.

"Buckle up, kid."

 

Patrick was sure to keep the boy's legs secured and Belch lined up the iron until it was perfect. He then quickly pressed it down hard into the boy's skin. He figured if he did it quick enough it would be better than if he slowly seared him. He winced and cringed at the immediate sounds of pain from the child. Belch kept telling himself it was just for a second then it'd over. It'd hurt but it wouldn't kill the boy. 

 

It felt like fire the moment the iron burned through the layers of his skin. Georgie shrieked from the pain. He wasn't even able to hear another beep come from the collar by how loud he screamed. The beep was quickly accompanied by a strong volt that coursed through him. The shock silenced his scream as he felt it travel throughout him. His body twitched involuntarily and the boy was momentarily paralyzed for seconds that felt like forever. Nothing more came out of his mouth but not by choice. He wasn't physically able to make any sounds. He didn't even notice he had tears streaming down his face. Slowly, the shock started wear off and the boy began to have control over his body. He was still zapped in a daze. He heard the sounds of the teens talking but he didn't hear what they said.

Georgie breathed heavily and loudly as he slowly closed his eyes. The iron wasn't on him anymore but he still felt the fire from the mark that was left. The few, cold drops of rain only made the pain feel more intense. 

 

Patrick had moved his knees off the boy's legs and just held them with his hands.

"That looks really good," he said, admiring the perfectly burned image on the boy. 

 

Belch didn't feel good about any of it. He was still cringing since the boy was bleeding. Maybe he burned too deep. 

"Should we do anything about his bleeding?”

 

"Leave it," Patrick said but Henry shook his head.

 

The bully leaned over and shoved the palm of his hand down on the newly-made marking. The pain made Georgie cry out again. This scream wasn't as loud but it was enough to set off the collar again. His body jerked along with the jolt. It wasn't as strong since his scream wasn't as powerful. 

 

Patrick laughed. "Let's give him another one on his back!" 

 

Henry hummed pleasantly at the idea.

"I don't think we have time for another one..."

 

Patrick frowned but Belch seemed relieved.

"Why not?" He asked. 

 

"Someone's been watching." Henry spoke calmly in almost a teasing manner. He glanced over in the direction Mike was hiding. The teen froze when Henry looked his way. He was so careful to not make any noise. How did he know where he was? He was well hidden. None of the others were able to spot him or even noticed he came due to how quiet he was.

 

"He's scared~" Henry laughed then looked down at Georgie. "They're both scared~" He pulled the boy's hair, making him whine. 

 

"Want me to kill him now?" Patrick asked. 

 

"No. Let's let him go. We'll let them both go for now."

 

The other bully frowned. "No way!"

 

"They'll all die soon," Henry promised, taking his knee off the boy but he kept his hands pressed on him.

"I wanna play a little game with you, bunny~" He whispered. "Let's play a special game of tag~ If you get caught, you die. Doesn't that sound fun?!"

 

Georgie was still crying.

 

Henry leaned down to whisper in the boy's ear. "Tell your brother... I'm _it_." He bit down just below and behind Georgie's ear, making him cry louder and squirm harder to get away. The bully laughed as he released him. 

"Let him go," he told Patrick. 

 

The boy quickly scrambled to his feet and ran as fast as he could. 

 

"Want me to follow him?" Patrick asked. 

 

"No. I know where he's going." 

 

The boy ran through the woods until he found the way out back to the road. Mike managed to catch up to Georgie just when they stepped out of the woods. He grabbed his arm to stop him from running. Georgie yelped a bit from fear and tried to pull free.

 

"Wait! Georgie, it's okay!" Mike tried to calm him down. "Bill wanted me to come find you."

 

"B-Billy?" Georgie was still breathing heavily and crying. 

 

"Yes. I'm going to take you back to him." 

 

The boy nodded a bit and allowed Mike to pick him up and carry him back to the school. Georgie used the opportunity to rest and calm his racing heart. He tried to not think about all the pain he was in. When they got outside of the school, Mike set the boy down. 

"Are you okay?" He asked, gently unfastening the collar around his neck. Marks were burned onto his neck from the prongs.

 

The boy nodded. He was exhausted but thankful for Mike. He stared up at the teen for a few moments. He never really saw him with Bill before.

"You're friends with Bill?"

 

"Yep."

 

"You look different," he said bluntly. He was referring to the dark color of his skin. It was different than everyone else's he's seen. 

 

Mike frowned but then the child smiled acceptingly at him and he gave a gently smile back. The teen looked up when he saw Bill and the others leave the high school. The play was over and everyone was going home. 

 

"You guys did really good," Ben told Beverly and Bill as they walked down the steps.

 

"Thanks." She smiled. 

 

Bill smirked a bit and he looked over at Richie. "Th-Thanks for coming, R-Rich." 

 

The boy couldn't help but to snort at the mention of come. "Yeah, yeah... Whatever, Billy bean."

 

Bill smiled then noticed Mike and Georgie. He ran ahead to meet them.

"Th-Th-There you guys are!" 

His smile quickly dropped when he saw how bruised his little brother's neck was. 

"Wh-What happened?" He asked, looking at Mike who was holding a baseball bat and collar. 

 

"The Bowers' Gang got him..." Mike said, motioning to the collar. "They let him go after they burned something on him."

 

Bill looked pissed and he waited patiently for the boy to show him the rabbit-shaped burn on his waist. The teen's eye twitched from anger. 

"H-H-Henry did all th-this?"

 

The others had walked up by this point and they looked at Georgie.

"Holy shit. What happened to you?" Richie asked. 

 

"Dad choked me first," the boy mumbled awkwardly as his brother checked his wounds. His voice was tired and broken. Bill was checking his neck and looking at the harsh bruises. 

"I left the house while he was sleeping and then Henry found me and put a shocking collar on me..."

 

"Kinky," Richie mumbled. 

 

Everyone stared at him and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "...I was just kidding... Geez, learn to take a joke!"

 

Bill glanced up to find the Bowers' Gang further away leaving the woods and heading across the street. 

"G-Gimme that." He snatched the baseball bat from Mike and started running straight for Henry. 

 

"Bill? What are you doing?"

 

He didn't listen to any reason. He was determined to make Henry pay for going anywhere near his brother. 

 

Belch and Patrick noticed the younger teen running towards them. They were meeting Victor on the other side of the street. 

"Bill's here." 

 

Henry raised an eyebrow as he turned to face him. 

"What do you want, loser?"

 

Bill didn't say anything. He simply swung the bat with all his might the moment Henry was in range. The bully grunted at the hit and he jerked the bat out of the boy's grasp. He chucked it towards the group of losers that were coming after Bill. Henry lifted the teen up with more strength than he should have had and he slammed him against a nearby lamp post. He cupped a hand roughly around Bill's neck and leaned in to his ear.

"You're not ready to face me," he hissed. "Do yourself, and Georgie, a favor and just go home." He shoved him against the post one more time before tossing him to the sidewalk. 

Henry didn't say anything more as he walked away, the rest of the gang following him. 

 

The Losers ran up to help their friend. Bill coughed as he sat up and glared at Henry.

 

"Billy..." Georgie mumbled as he saw a red balloon tied to one of the lamp posts. He looked at his brother. "It wants to play tag..."

 

“What?” Richie asked.

 

Bill saw where the balloon was as he stood up.

"We-we're ending this t-tonight." 


	26. Hurricane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I managed to find time to make the next chapter :3  
> I actually had to split it cuz it's just too long

“Ending _what_?” Richie asked. “Can someone explain to me what the hell is going on?”

 

Bill didn’t give an answer. He simply ran across the street to get to the balloon tied to the lamp post. Before he could grab it, a gust of wind pulled the balloon away. It stayed out of reach of the teen, encouraging him to follow.

“C-Come on guys,” he said as he walked after the balloon.

 

“Where are we going?” Eddie asked, following his friend.

 

“We’re f-f-following th-that.” He pointed to the balloon.

 

“ _Why?!_ ” Richie was getting annoyed by no one answering his questions. Georgie was the only one to answer him.

 

“It’ll lead us to Pennywise.”

 

“Who’s that?”

 

“The clown.”

 

“Oh, God… We’re actually doing this?”

 

“If-If you d-don’t want to help th-then go home.” Bill was starting to show some anger in his voice. Georgie knew that his brother was fed up with Pennywise but he wasn’t sure if facing him would be smart.

 

“Believe me, I would _love_ to go home.” Richie huffed. “But I need to make sure you losers don’t get yourselves killed by some bad Halloween trick.”

 

“Can I go home?” Georgie asked softly. He was tired and sore. He much rather go to sleep than go search for trouble.

 

“No.” Bill’s decision was firm as they made their way back to the school.

 

The others looked at each other with a small frown. Beverly picked Georgie up to carry him.

“Why can’t he go home?” Ben asked. He saw how exhausted the boy looked.

 

“Ob-Obviously th-the only one I c-can tr-trust to watch my br-brother is myself.” He gave a bitter glance towards Mike.

 

The other teen furrowed his brows. “Why do you look at me when you say that?”

 

Bill turned sharply to face him. “Y-You didn’t do an-anything to help G-Georgie!”

 

“The Bowers Gang would have killed me!”

 

“They w-would have killed _h-him_!”

 

“Guys…” Eddie frowned at them.

 

“What was I supposed to do?!”

 

“F-Fight! Make a dis-distraction, g-get help, do _s-s-something_!”

 

Georgie squirmed uncomfortably against Beverly. The boy didn’t like hearing his brother be upset. She stroked his hair softly and looked over at Bill. “Bill…”

 

“You ch-chickened out! You’re a c-coward!”

 

“What do you want me to do, Bill? I can’t go back in time and fix it!”

 

“G-Go home! We d-d-don’t need you!”

 

“Bill!”

 

“Wh-What?!” He turned to Beverly who gave him a narrowed look.

 

“Calm down…”

 

The teen huffed, turning to get his bike out of the racks. Stan placed a hand on Mike’s shoulder.

“He didn’t mean what he said,” he whispered. “He’s just really stressed.”

 

Mike continued to stay quiet along with everyone else as they all got their bikes.

 

“Was the play good?” Georgie asked softly to break the silence.

 

“Yeah, it was really good!” Eddie smiled and the others agreed.

 

“Eh. I’ve seen better.”

 

Bill narrowed his eyes at Richie but didn’t say anything.

 

“Sorry I missed it, Billy…”

 

“It’s f-fine.” Bill was trying to calm down but he wasn’t in the mood to be calm. He didn’t feel like being around anyone.

 

“Oh, that reminds me! I have something for you, Georgie.” Beverly placed the boy down so she could pull out a chain necklace from her pocket. She took off the ring she was wearing and showed it to him. It was a simple, silver band. “They gave us these matching rings for the play.” She slipped the ring on the chain then fastened it around Georgie’s neck. “I know how much you wanted to be-“

 

Georgie didn’t let her finish. He was too excited to have a ring that matched Bill’s.

“Look, Bill! Now I’m your wife!”

 

The others giggled at the boy’s excitement. Bill rolled his eyes. Smiling was the last thing he wanted to do but Georgie always managed to crack one out of him.

“Th-That’s not how m-marriage works.”

 

“Yes, it is!”

 

The teen sighed softly and picked up his brother, bringing him over to place him on the handlebars of his bike. Georgie had made up his mind and there was no point in trying to convince him anything otherwise.

“We-We need to get g-going.”

 

The balloon had paused patiently until everyone was on their bikes. Bill was the first to go after it and the others followed.

 

 

Officer Bowers was driving by when he noticed the group of teens heading down the street. He was curious as to where they were going so late.

 

 

The balloon guided them down unmarked roads until they finally reached a large, deserted carnival in the middle of nowhere. There were no houses or buildings in sight. The only thing around them was the long strip of road, fields stretching for miles, and the large carnival in the field to their right. It was completely dark by this point but thankfully a supermoon lit their path. The balloon they were following was also oddly illuminated. It waited for them at the entrance.

 

“Where are we?” Beverly asked as they all abandoned their bikes on the side of the road. The teens looked to Bill but he was in a trance of déjà vu.

His eyes searched the area cautiously. Behind the carnival was a collection of trees. Everything seemed so out of placed. It felt frighteningly similar to the teen.

Georgie looked up at his brother. He recognized the confused and alerted look in his eyes. Bill was having a hard time distinguishing what was real and what was fake. The boy gently grabbed Bill’s hand.

He jerked when he was touched but relaxed when he looked down at his brother. He sighed heavily then noticed everyone was looking at him with a concerned look.

 

“Are you okay?” Stan asked softly.

 

“Y-Yeah… Let’s go.” He kept his brother’s hand as he made his way towards the entrance. The whole fair was gated off strangely. There was a chain-link fence in some parts then a wooden fence in others. Somehow the chain and wood fence merged together when they met. No one seemed to really notice this oddity. They had no idea what to expect, so details about fencing was the least of their worries.

 

“I wonder where the power switch is…” Stan said as they walked in the open gate. The door of the gate had been blown away. The balloon that had waited for them was no longer in sight to guide them.

Mike looked over at him.

“Do you think it would work?”

 

“There’s only one way to find out.” The teen shrugged. “Maybe there’s a generator or something.”

 

“Um…” Beverly mumbled. “This place looks like it hasn’t been used in years.”

 

“This is weird…” Ben mumbled. He looked confused as he glanced around.

 

Eddie looked at him. “Why do you say that?”

 

“I read something about this place. This used to be a really big attraction every year, but then a hurricane hit.”

 

“So?” Richie asked.

 

“That was _many years_ ago. Nothing should be left…”

 

Bill stayed quiet. He was too stressed to be chatty. It wasn’t until he felt multiple sets of eyes on him for some sort of leadership for him to talk. “L-Let’s just tr-try to find s-s-some kind of light… It’s t-too dark to go fur-further.”

 

Stan watched him silently for a couple moments. Bill seemed mentally distant. Being in this place obviously weighed heavier on him than anyone else. He kept the observation to himself as everyone began to search in the dark for some sort of light source.

 

The glimpse of the red balloon in between two booths caught Georgie's eyes as he walked with the others. He was the only one to notice it. He paused and allowed everyone to continue walking ahead, gently slipping his hand out of Bill’s, before he trotted over to the where the balloon was beckoning him to. He didn't want Bill to worry any more than he already was so he didn't bother mentioning the balloon. Georgie slipped between the tiny space and followed the trail the balloon made until he was brought to the clown. The boy blinked when he saw him. It felt like it’d been forever since he last saw him.

 

"Pennywise!" He ran up the clown without much caution. 

 

It smirked down at him. He was just standing there; waiting, watching.

"Did you miss me?" He asked. 

 

Georgie thought about his answer. He wasn't really sure what he felt. He didn't think he _missed_ Pennywise. He was mostly just concerned on why he hasn't seen him until now.

"I've wondered where you were," he said quietly. He squeezed his fingers anxiously.

 

"Did you look for me?" He asked, already knowing the answer. 

 

The boy hummed as he thought of an excuse. His eyes shifted to the side as he talked. "I didn't know where to look. I've never had to look for you before."

 

Pennywise chuckled lowly at the boy. "Not everything is going to be handed to you, pip squeak. You're going to have to do things on your own pretty soon." 

 

Georgie frowned, continuing to glance to the side for a moment before returning his eyes up to him. "Were you here the whole time?"

 

"Nope." The clown started walking slowly with his hands clasped behind his back. The boy followed beside him as if the giant clown was a harmless friend. 

"This place is too gone to bring back. The storm destroyed everything," he continued, giving Georgie a side glance. He didn’t particularly like the comfort the child had around him.

 

The boy looked around as they walked behind booths and setups. Everything was ruined and unsalvageable. There was a lot of water damage and mold. Some tents were torn or completely collapsed. There were a couple trees that crushed power lines and booths. The railings for rides were rusty and loose. All the rides were no longer usable or safe. Everything had been taken. It was simply the shell of something that used to bring joy and happiness. Now it was only a nightmarish state of limbo as everyone forgot it existed. No one ever bothered to clean it up or repair it. 

 

Pennywise waited for the child to piece things together in his mind. Finally, the boy looked up at him.

"So, you have to live in the sewer now because this place is ruined?"

 

A small hum was the only response he got. Pennywise glanced down as they approached an old storm drain in the pavement. The grate had been broken apart. The clown avoided it by walking to the right and the child walked to the left. They closed the gap between each other once they passed it. They walked in silence a few more moments before Georgie looked up at the clown again.

"I'm not coming to see you in the sewer.” He said bluntly. “That's gross. Get an apartment or something."

 

Pennywise snorted. "That's pretty high standards you got there. You sure you're worth that?" He asked tauntingly.

 

Georgie was quiet. He was pondering the question of self-worth. The clown laughed at him.

 

"So..." The boy wanted to change the subject, not enjoying the teasing laughter. "What happens now?" His voice was lowered to a not-so-quiet whisper.

 

"This is it, little bunny. Your last assignment." The clown grinned widely. “Everyone dies!”

 

He couldn't tell if the clown was being serious or not about everyone dying. He really hoped he was only joking but he had a feeling it wasn't. 

"But... _I'm_ going to be safe, right? …Me and Bill?"

 

Pennywise chuckled at how Georgie was more concerned about his own safety. He shook his head to himself.

"Bill and I," he corrected.

 

Georgie blinked. "What?" 

 

"Grammar, child."

 

The boy frowned, not because he was corrected but because he was thinking about what might happen.

"Who are you wanting to kill?" He asked quietly. 

 

"For this to be your last assignment, no one can get out alive. Luckily for you, everyone's all in one place." He stopped walking and looked down at the boy. "All you have to do is isolate them so they're easily picked off."

 

"But… they're Bill's friends," he mumbled. "Why do they have to be the ones to die?"

 

"To pay for you, of course." Pennywise smirked and tugged on the boy's cheek teasingly. "Since you want Bill to live so much, I need to take people who are important to him." He held the boy's chin in his hand. "It wouldn't be fair if only you suffered during this, now would it?" Pennywise's voice sounded soothing but it didn't ease Georgie's anxiety. The clown shook his head slowly as he talked, moving the boy's head to match. "Bill has to feel some pain, too. Just like you have. That'll make it fair, right?" Pennywise started to nod, making the boy nod with him. 

 

Georgie whined and pulled away. He didn't want any more people to die. They were Bill's friends. He'd be sad without them. He didn't want him to feel any pain or sadness. Georgie had also started to get attached to a few of his friends.

"I don't like this..."

 

"Too bad!"

 

"...But you're going to protect me. Right?" 

 

Other than the mocking laughter, he didn't give him any response. 

 

" _Right_?" Georgie was serious about getting confirmation out of him. "You have to protect me and Bill! That’s our deal! Or we're all going home right now."

 

The clown was quiet.

 

"I'm serious!"

 

"I know you are...” He huffed. “I won't let you die but I won't protect you from getting hurt.” Pennywise poked the boy’s forehead. “Scrape your knee, lose an eye; that's all on you. But you will not die... Here... Or tonight."

 

"And then you'll leave me and Bill alone after tonight? Right? We’re completely done after tonight?”"

 

"Yes... If all goes well... you'll be walking out of here with Bill. That also means you won't be protected by me anymore. But you're not off the hook yet! That's _only_ if everyone else dies in your place. You still have to keep up your end of the deal. If you break the deal then all bets are off and I _will_ be the one to kill you. _Got it_?!" 

 

Georgie frowned at the clown’s sudden switch to anger. He nodded.

 

Pennywise chuckled then motioned for the boy to go. "Go on before you're missed." 

 

Just as the boy turned to leave, the clown spoke again. 

 

"Oh, and just one more thing..."

 

Georgie looked up at him. "Yeah?"

 

"Keep in mind that tonight can either turn out painful or painless depending on what you choose. Also, watch that brother of yours..." He grinned. "Does he remind you of anyone else?"

 

The boy frowned and simply turned to leave. He didn't know what Pennywise was talking about and he didn't want to find out. He slipped through a couple booths and found his way back to his brother. The teen was too emotionally distracted to notice Georgie had been gone.

 

As the teens searched around, Stan spotted a fuse box with the door snapped off. There were a few smaller switches already turned to the right. They looked severely damaged by the weather and lack of protection. The only thing that wasn’t turned on was a large, rusted lever.

“Found it!” Stan called to the others. “Help me lift this up…” He mumbled after he tried to move it himself. He and Mike both had to push hard to get the lever to finally snap upwards. A high-pitched hum sounded as there was a delay before lights flickered on. Not every light came back on. Only select things were brought back to life. None of the lights should have worked.

 

Blinding flood lights that surrounded the losers were the first ones that came on. Everyone winced from the sudden white light and had to wait for their eyes to adjust. Stark shadows were created around them. The lights were easily spotted a good bit away from the road. They were like giant spotlights for the losers’ location.

 

Stan and Mike walked back to the others then looked down the path of small, orange lights on the ground.

 

“I can’t believe that worked!” Eddie said as they started following the selective trail.

 

Bill was in his own little world. He didn’t hear what the others started talking about. He wasn’t snapped back to reality until he noticed Georgie demanding to be lifted so he wouldn’t have to walk anymore. The teen reluctantly allowed him on his shoulders, holding his ankles loosely.

Georgie yawned. He wasn’t used to being awake this late. The boy started an unwanted chain of yawns out of the others. Bill tilted his head up to get his brother’s attention. “L-Look what you d-did.”

“Sorry,” Georgie giggled, sliding his fingers in Bill’s hair.

 

“Hey, look!” Eddie stopped in front of one of the funny mirrors that were illuminated by lights. The reflections were distorted differently in each mirror.

The teens smiled and were amused by their reflections.

 

“We’re n-not here to h-have f-fun.”

 

“Oh, lighten up, Bill!”

 

“Bill’s right,” Richie said. “We’re here to fuck shit up!”

 

The teen sighed, rolling his eyes. He gave the mirrors a passing glance. He didn’t find them very entertaining but Georgie, on the other hand, was quite amused. The boy giggled happily at the distortions, winning a soft smile from Bill. He paused for a few seconds in each one before moving on the next. When they came to the last mirror, Bill’s smile quickly diminished. Everything was the same in the reflection except Georgie. His eyes were black and he looked demonic as he was reaching to strangle Bill. The teen gasped and swiftly shoved the creature off his shoulders. A tiny yelp from the boy was the only thing that made Bill realize the image in the mirror wasn’t true. But it was already too late.

Georgie fell, a small grunt escaping his mouth when he landed on his back. Bill winced when he heard the thud.

“Sh-Sh-Shit…”

 

Everyone glanced back at Bill and Georgie.

 

“Damn, Bill. What was that for?”

 

“I-I d-didn’t…” Bill sighed and leaned down to help Georgie up but the boy whined and rejected his offer. He got up on his own and ran over to Beverly’s arms.

 

“G-Georgie…”

 

“You threw me!”

 

“I d-didn’t th-throw you. I… dr-dropped you… with love.” He bit his lip.

 

The boy narrowed his eyes at his brother. The others simply turned to continue on their way, leaving Bill behind. Bill groaned and glanced back at the normal mirror for a moment before following the others. As he walked away, his reflection stepped out of the glass and ran into the shadows.

 

They came up to a bunch of booths but there was only one that was illuminated by lights. It was in perfect condition. The ones forgotten in the dark were damaged. Beverly smiled as she walked up to the booth with loads of stuffed animals tied to the sides.

“Hey, Bill,” she called over her shoulder. “See if you can win me something.”

 

Bill walked over, looking at the glass milk bottles arranged in an upside-down triangle. There were three of the triangles set up on the table behind the counter. He wondered how they were able to stand like that. It didn’t seem natural.

 

Richie climbed over the counter to man the booth. He dipped down to look through the stuff on the shelves behind the counter.

“Eddie! Come look at this!”

 

“What?” He asked, joining him in the booth. Richie popped up, pushing a tan cane with a red and white stripe in his hands and plopping a matching hat on his head.

 

“Don’t put this on me! It could have lice!” He went to remove it but Richie pushed his hand away.

 

“No, keep it!”

 

“I think it suits you.” Beverly smiled at him.

 

“Really?” Eddie asked. When she gave a nod, Eddie made a smug face and adjusted the hat with a tap of his cane. “Well, mom did always say I look good in hats.”

 

“Yeah, it matches your stupid face!” Richie snorted.

 

Eddie glared at him and smacked him with his cane. “Get out of my booth, roach! Get!” Richie shielded himself from the cane as he climbed back on the counter.

 

Beverly was looking at the stuffed animals when she found a couple interesting ones.

“Georgie, look!” She said as she pointed up to them. “That one looks like the kitten I colored.” She pointed to a medium-sized orange tabby kitten with green eyes and a pink nose. The boy’s eyes lit up as he saw the one next to the kitten.

“Seahorse!”

Beverly giggled. Next to the kitten was a large multi colored seahorse. Both of them were identical to the ones they had colored.

“It’s like they were made just for us, huh?”

 

“I want it!!”

 

“Y-You have enough t-toys, Georgie.” Bill mumbled. His eyes were drawn to the small, stuffed foxes in the pile of stuffed toys. There were four of them.

 

“No, I don’t!”

 

“You c-can’t have it.” He was firm in his decision.

 

Georgie pouted at his brother. Beverly cupped her hands up to the sides of her mouth as she booed at Bill. The others joined in loudly, making the teen buckle.

 

“It’s b-b-bigger than you are!” He tried to reason with everyone, not just Georgie, that he didn’t need the toy.

 

“I WANT it!” The boy jumped up and down, making his older brother groan. He already looked like a complete jerk by dropping him earlier. It only looked worse that he wouldn’t let him have the stuffed seahorse.

 

“Come on, Bill!” Beverly loosely clasped her hands around Georgie and swayed with him. “Win them for us!”

 

“Step right up!” Eddie shouted in his best carnie voice. “Come one! Come all! Try your hand! Try your luck! The game is simple! You get three tries to knock down these bottles!” He went to point to them with his cane but almost knocked them over. “Oops, almost ruined the magic…”

 

Richie snorted.

 

“See if you have what it takes to win a special prize for the pretty girl,” he pointed to Beverly with his cane. She smiled at him. “And the sweet boy.” He pointed to Georgie.

 

Bill sighed heavily. He hated the pressure. “F-Fine…”

 

Eddie gathered three large, white, plastic balls and placed them on the counter for Bill. Richie scooted over to the edge of the booth and Eddie also stepped to the side to give Bill room to hit the bottles. “Whenever you’re ready, sweet pea.” He teased, leaning against his cane.

 

“Sh-Shut up.” He took one of the balls and tossed it hard, hitting the middle of the upside-down pyramid. The stack wobbled but none of the bottles fell over.

 

“Awww. Too bad! Try again.”

 

“You suck, Bill.”

 

Bill sent a glare at Richie.

 

Stan chuckled softly. “Don’t mind him,” he said. “You have good aim. Just work on power.”

 

“That’s what she said,” Richie snorted. Bill took the second ball and shot it at Richie’s face. It smacked him in the middle of his forehead. The sudden hit startled him into losing his balance and falling backwards off the counter. The others busted out laughing.

 

“Ow…” Richie crawled back up, a giant red mark on his forehead. “He definitely has power…”

 

Bill grabbed the last ball and tried to knock down the bottles one more time. One on the corner fell but not the rest of them.

“Th-This game is r-rigged!”

 

“Hey! Play the game don’t hate it!” Eddie poked Bill’s chest with his cane.

 

“G-Give me another ball.”

 

“Nope! You used all three of your chances!”

 

“N-No, I didn’t!”

 

“Yes, you did! When you hit that doofus,” he pointed to Richie. “That counted as a turn.”

 

“Th-That’s not fair.”

 

“Life’s not fair, sweet pea!”

 

Bill huffed. “That’s b-bull.”

 

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to calm down. Step away from the booth. Sir!”

 

“I-I’ll just t-take one.” Bill said as he reached for a stuffed animal.

 

“SECURITY!”

 

Richie hopped off the counter and tackled Bill down. “Get down on the ground!”

 

“R-Richie!” The teen grunted and shoved him off.

 

“That’s Officer Richie to you, punk! I’m the law!” He said as he tried pinning him back down. “Requesting backup!!”

 

Stan, Mike, and Ben piled onto them one by one with laughter.

“Ugh… C-Can’t breathe…” Bill mumbled. He saw Beverly start to take down the seahorse and hand it to Georgie. “D-Don’t-”

It was already too late. The boy’s eyes grew wider and he was instantly attached to the toy the moment it reached his hands. Georgie squeezed the life out if it, its head and tail curling against him as if to hug back.

“I love him!” He declared.

 

Beverly giggled and slowly everyone got off Bill to let him up. The teen huffed, climbing to his feet.

 

“What are you going to name him?” Beverly asked.

 

“Kyle.”

 

Bill groaned. He didn’t understand his brother’s fascination with giving inanimate objects names and genders. “Y-You don’t need K-Kyle.”

 

“I don’t need your attitude,” Georgie retorted, sticking his tongue out at him as he carried his new best friend. The seahorse was a little taller than the boy but he didn’t mind.

 

The others laughed and ooed teasingly at Bill.

 

“One point for Kyle; Zero for Bill.” Beverly smirked.

 

“I’m n-not com-competing with a st-stuffed toy for my br-brother.”

 

“Yeah you are,” Stan said with a chuckle. “And that stuffed toy is winning.”

 

Bill rolled his eyes and followed as Georgie led the way. Eddie discarded the hat and cane as he went after the rest. The only person that stayed behind was Ben. He was staring up at the stuffed kitten that Beverly wanted. He tried to get it down but it was stuck.

 

Georgie knew that Ben was being left behind. No one else seemed to notice his absence. He squeezed Kyle for comfort as he thought about what was sure to happen. The boy was only able to take a couple more steps before guilt stopped him. He turned around but before he could bring attention that Ben wasn’t with them, music from the distance sounded. The others were more focused on finding the source of the music than what Georgie had to say. The boy whined quietly, hoping maybe Ben will be alright and catch up with them later.

 

Just as Ben was about to get the stuffed kitten, he heard a noise that sounded like a mixture of rustling and whispering. He looked around to find that the others were gone.

“Guys?” Ben started to get a little worried as he searched for them. He didn’t like being alone. “Guys!” He called louder this time, walking over a storm drain. The grate buckled beneath him and he fell. The hole was deeper than it seemed. His scream eventually faded into nothing.


	27. Silver and Cold

The Bowers gang saw the flood lights as they arrived at the forgotten carnival.

“Told you those losers would be here,” Henry muttered before getting out of the car.

 

Belch and Patrick exchanged a glance for once as they followed their leader. Neither of them knew how Henry could have possibly known where the kids ran off to since they didn’t follow them. Belch looked to his friend who fell behind as they started walking to the entrance. Victor was fed up by this point. It was obvious he didn’t want to be there or be apart of the group anymore. He was done.

 

“Do I get to kill that kid finally?” Patrick asked. He was frustrated by how long it was taking to end the brat.

 

“If you can catch him.” Henry smirked. “Whoever catches him first gets to kill him.”

 

Patrick growled but complied to the new rules. He was going to make sure he was the first to grab him.

They followed the guided path of lights that the losers had followed. No one seemed to notice that everything left in the dark was weathered by years. Only the things illuminated were in perfect condition. As the bullies walked by, the orange lights slowly and silently faded away. When they went out, they revealed the funny mirrors to be shattered or completely gone.

 

“Hey, Victor, look!” Belch smiled as they approached the booth with the stuffed animals. He plucked a red fox from the pile and showed it to his friend. “A fox!”

 

The blond gave a tired, but genuine, smile as he took the plush from him. “Aw. Cool.”

 

Henry snatched the toy from him. “Will you ladies quit messing around! We’re here to-” The bully paused as he looked at the fox he was holding. He smirked slowly. “…This gives me an idea… What do foxes eat?” He asked his gang members with a grin.

 

“Berries?”

 

“No, you dipshit!” He threw the fox back at them. He turned to the pile of stuffed animals and yanked the head off a small, plush rabbit that was surrounded by the other foxes. He held the head up for the others. “They eat bunnies.”

 

Belch met eyes with Victor before he returned his gaze to Henry. “…We’re not actually going to _eat_ the kid… right?”

 

Henry didn’t give him an answer. He simply smirked and dropped the rabbit head.

“Alright, everyone split up. If you find our bunny, kill him. If anyone gets in your way then kill them too.” He turned to go in the direction the losers had went and Patrick took another way.

 

Belch watched for them to leave before he grabbed Victor’s arm.

“Let’s leave,” he whispered.

 

“What?”

 

“Let’s just go! We can get out of here before Henry notices.” He pulled his friend with him as he made his way back to the entrance.

 

The teen followed but then stopped, pulling away. “Wait. I can’t.”

 

“Why not?” He looked at him.

 

“They’re going to kill that kid…”

 

“So?! They’re probably going to kill _us_ next!”

 

Victor shook his head and turned to go back. “I have to find him first.”

 

“What are you going to do when you have him?”

 

“I don’t know yet! I’ll meet you at the car!” He called as he ran back. He had no clue what he was going to do. All he knew was he had to do something.

Belch sighed and shook his head, watching his friend run back to danger.

 

 

Georgie was fidgeting more than usual and he tried to grab his brother’s attention but the teen wasn’t in the mood to deal with him. He desperately looked in the faces of the other teens. No one seemed to notice they were missing someone. He couldn’t understand what was happening but it made his guilt eat away at him twice as fast.

“We need to go back…” He whined. Even his touch went unnoticed to Beverly as he tried to get someone to acknowledge his existence. Everyone was simply following the small, orange lights that guided them. Georgie was getting frustrated and felt like crying. He felt completely alone in a crowd of people. The boy attempted to get his brother’s attention again but they came up to what was causing the music. It was a massive carousel that was dead center in the middle of the carnival. The round, faded lights decorating the carousel were all illuminated. The lights gave a blurry sensation that lessened the harshness of the edges on the ride. It almost looked like a dream or a soft memory. Something about seeing all the animals eagerly waiting to be picked made the boy excited. It gave him a sense of comfort and happiness, much like Kyle, despite how bad everything was.

Georgie gasped and immediately ran towards it, forgetting all his worries about Ben. “I wanna ride!!” He didn’t forget about Ben completely, but he did willing accept the distraction.

 

The others smiled when they noticed the child run towards the ride. They also went to the large carousel. The mirrors in the center created the illusion of it being even bigger than it already was. Although, it didn’t need the help. There were four rows of saddled animals. Two of the rows were traditional carousel horses of variating colors, sizes, and personalities. The others were a collection of random animals. Because of the size, there was plenty of room between each animal; none of them were crowded together.

 

“Come on, Billy!” Georgie and the other teens went around the queue and climbed on the platform to pick their animals.

 

Bill had stayed behind. He hadn’t had a good feeling the entire time they were there. Stan also stayed back when he saw Bill not get any closer. He placed a hand on his shoulder. The teen jumped, not noticing Stan was next to him. His friend gave him a tiny smile.

“Go on,” he gently encouraged. “It’ll be fun.”

 

The teen wasn’t so sure about having fun but he reluctantly followed the line. When he got on the platform, he went over to Georgie who was having trouble reaching the animal to get on.

“I want that one!” The boy pointed up to a large, blond rabbit that was leaping in time with the others. It was decorated with an equally large, pink ribbon. Georgie set Kyle down next to his animal and waited for his brother to lift him.

 

Bill hesitated as he felt even more déjà vu. He took a heavy, shaky breath as he carefully picked his brother up and placed him on the rabbit’s back. Georgie grabbed the gold pole that secured the animal in place and smiled. “Now you pick one!”

 

Bill looked to the animal chasing Georgie’s. It was a deer. The deer didn’t seem as carefree as the rabbit. It was stressfully trying to keep up. He stared in the deer’s porcelain eyes; fear and anxiety mirroring. The teen kept coaching his own breathing as he tried to prevent having a panic attack. He slowly climbed on the deer then glanced around at the others.

Mike had chosen a tiger in front of Georgie, Beverly picked a unicorn decorated with roses next to Bill, Richie picked a lion behind Bill, and Eddie chose a traditional carousel horse beside Richie.

 

Stan was off the ride at the power switch. “You guys ready?”

 

Everyone responded except Bill. He didn’t look okay. He didn’t seem to hear Beverly ask him what was wrong. The teen was focused on the animal beside Georgie. It was a vicious-looking fox that didn’t have a saddle on it. Its head was turned towards the rabbit, mouth agape and showing its teeth. It wasn’t there to be ridden. It was there to give reason to the animals’ galloping movement.

The speed started out slow as the animals woke up from a long sleep with the push of a lever. They soon picked up speed, the rhythmic movement matching Bill’s growing panic. The teen looked in the mirror at the core of the ride, horrified by what he saw. In the mirror were others on the remaining animals. They seemed to be enjoying the ride. Bill didn’t understand what any of it meant until he saw a familiar face on the cheetah next to Georgie. It was Lexi. He really hoped he was just imagining everything. No one else seemed to notice the images in the mirrors.

 

“Okay, th-th-that’s en-enough f-for right now…”

 

Bill wanted off. He was terrified as he realized his breathing was labored. He was having a panic attack.

Stan turned the switch back down but the ride didn’t slow down. He looked worried when it was growing speed and the music started playing in reverse. “Um… It’s not stopping!”

 

Before anyone could respond, Henry suddenly hopped on the ride. He gripped the gold pole of the fox to secure his balance.

“You guys started without me!” He laughed evilly and grabbed the pole that held Georgie’s animal.

 

The boy screamed but didn’t know how to get off the ride. Bill immediately moved to get off the deer but his leg got caught. That second slip up was enough to give Henry time to grab the chain around Georgie’s neck, wrapping it around his hand and yanking it towards him. Bill looked back in the mirror when he heard more than just Georgie’s scream. The people in the mirror were also screaming in fear and pain, each with a different reason. Bill was the only one to see or hear them.  

Mike got off the tiger and swung the bat he kept with all his might. He wanted to hesitate and cower to avoid being targeted by Henry, but he used the shot of adrenaline to make the swing. It collided perfectly with Henry’s head and the bully released the boy. Bill yanked his brother off the rabbit and scrambled to jump off the ride with everyone else. The teen jumped but collapsed the moment he hit the ground. He quickly stood up but fell again due to how dizzy he was. He landed on top of Georgie, making him cry out beneath his weight. Bill didn’t care. He was only concerned about getting his brother away from the bully. He groaned and kept his eyes closed as he felt the world around him twist and tilt. Georgie’s first concern was they left Kyle on the ride. The boy called for his toy but Bill didn’t register it.

Henry growled and grabbed Mike before he had time to bail, yanking the bat away from him.

“I’m going to kill you first!” He hissed.

 

Mike lost his balance as he pulled away and fell off the carousel, taking Henry down with him.

 

“Bill-” Georgie was only able to make out his brother’s name before he was lifted back up into his arms. The others were running away from the carousel and Bill followed them. The boy tried telling him to go back for Mike when he saw he was still tangled with Henry but he was having trouble getting the words out.

 

Mike got up and hurried to get away from Henry. He made the mistake of not grabbing the bat. The only thing the teen could think to do was hide. He slipped into a booth and hid underneath the counter. He glanced around for the others but didn’t see them. That’s when he realized he forgot the bat. He moved to retrieve it but then saw Henry standing up. He moved back behind the counter and cautiously peeked around.

The bully picked up the bat and scanned the area, finally smirking.

“Ohh, Mikey~” He cooed, slowly walking to the booths. “Which one are you behind?” He quickly checked behind one counter but it was vacant. He looked around and listened. Mike didn’t risk moving but he probably should have.

“They left you, Mike…” Henry started talking again as he took his time walking to the next booth. He was getting closer to the one Mike was hiding in.

“You’re all alone...” He chuckled lowly. He checked one more booth before finally approaching the one Mike was in. Mike was too scared to flee but he finally forced himself to move at the wrong time, getting hit by the swing of Henry’s bat. Henry didn’t stop after one hit. He continued to pummel him in the head. He didn’t stop after he was dead. It wasn’t until his wave of rage slowed for him to finally stop. Henry huffed and looked at what was left of Mike. He slowly started laughing, finding it to be sickeningly funny.

 

 

The other losers stopped running to catch their breaths when they reached a blinking ferris wheel.

“Where’s Mike?” Eddie asked in a pant once he calmed himself with his inhaler. He was the first to notice someone was missing from their group; something Georgie has been trying to explain the entire time. The others finally seemed to be aware.

 

“What about Ben?” Beverly asked, looking around and seeing they were down two.

 

Georgie was set down so Bill could recover.

“Guys…” The boy was about to tell everyone everything but no one was focusing on him. They were either resting or looking for the two that were missing.

“Guys!”

 

“What is it, Georgie?” Stan finally asked, looking at the distressed boy.

 

Before the boy could say anything more, he glanced up at the ferris wheel. “Uh oh…”

 

“Uh oh?” Richie asked. “Why uh oh?!”

 

The child’s eyes widened in horror as he looked behind the losers. Eddie was the first to turn around. Crawling on the ferris wheel like a giant black widow was the clown. His head was turned all the way around and he was chuckling at them. The losers watched with petrification as the clown jumped down in front of them. The moment he landed on his feet inches away from them, the teens screamed and scrambled back.

“What the fuck is that?!” Richie spit out. Eddie fell down but quickly used Richie to pull himself up. Pennywise laughed louder and turned his head back around to face them. His height towered over all of them.

 

“Hello, children~” The clown’s eyes shifted to Georgie who frowned.

 

“I _t-t-told_ you he w-was r-real!!”

 

“Now’s not the time, Bill!” Stan grabbed his arm to pull him to run away.

 

“W-Wait!” Bill pulled back. “U-Use the camera!”

 

“Guys, I really think we should just run!” Beverly had grabbed Georgie so he wouldn’t get left behind.

 

Stan stopped running and quickly turned to use the polaroid camera on the clown. Pennywise simply walked up to him with a wide, amused grin.

“Cheese~”

 

The teen bit his lip as he shakily took the picture. The flash timed with a nearby light fusing out. Everyone flinched at the loud buzz sound then looked around for the clown. He wasn’t there.

 

“Is it gone?” Eddie asked.

 

Stan was staring at the picture that had been spit out by the camera.

“Uhh… I don’t think so…”

 

Everyone gathered around to see the photo Stan was holding. It was a picture of Ben dead in the sewer. He was half eaten. Another photo quickly followed the first. This one was of Mike, beaten to death. That picture was pushed to the ground as another one took its place. The rest were of them dead in various ways. They came out quickly and littered the ground.

“These aren’t real… are they?” Beverly asked. Hers showed her dead in a hospital room. Richie’s was of him hanging himself. Eddie’s showed him impaled by spikes. Stan’s was of a fatal car crash.

 

“They c-can’t be…” Bill watched as his photo developed. It was an older version of himself. He was on the bed, having shot himself.

 

The next photo was of Georgie. It seemed perfectly normal; he was standing, smiling. The next photo was of the boy in the exact same place but the only difference was his smile fell. His eyes looked scared. There was also Pennywise standing off in the distance on the right side of the photo. The next photo revealed Georgie in the same place but he was crying. Pennywise was now closer on the left side of the photo. Next, Pennywise was standing behind the boy with his hands draped on his shoulders. The boy’s eyes were black and he was screaming in agony. The photo looked as if it should have had sound accompany it. Pennywise’s expression was the same in each picture. He was grinning widely. Another photo started to come out but Stan dropped the camera at this point. He and the others ran. The photo was the one Stan had taken of the clown but the clown was absent.

 

“What do we do?!” Eddie asked frantically.

 

“W-We n-need to f-f-fight him!”

 

“How?!”

 

Bill and the others stopped to get their bearings. “I-I don’t know…”

 

“You’re supposed to know!” Richie shouted.

 

“D-D-Don’t yell at me!”

 

“Guys…” Georgie went unheard between the two teens’ yelling.

 

“He’s going to kill us!”

 

“I kn-know! Y-You d-don’t have to t-tell me!”

 

“This is all your fault!” Richie hissed, pointing his finger at Bill.

 

The teen smacked his hand away. “H-How?!”

 

“None of us has ever had anything to do with this stupid clown except you! You dragged us into this mess and now we’re going to die because of it!”

 

Tears started to fall from Georgie’s eyes for multiple reasons. He didn’t like seeing Bill yell; it scared him. He was also crying because Bill wasn’t the reason Pennywise was after everyone. That was only his fault but no one knew. He looked up at the others but none of them were paying him any attention. He might as well had been a ghost. Stress levels were high for everyone and they were all arguing with each other.

 

“Come on, guys. We need to figure out what to do!” Beverly interjected.

 

“Okay, I have an idea…” Richie started. He took a breath to calm himself down and to be serious. “The clown can’t kill us if we just kill ourselves.”

 

Everyone paused to see if Richie was just joking. He wasn’t.

 

“No,” Bill said. “Th-That’s stupid.”

 

“Oh, yeah? What’s your idea, _leader_?!” He used air quotes when he called Bill the leader.

 

The teen sighed and thought of a solution.

 

“ _Well_?!”

 

“G-Give me a m-minute!”

 

“We don’t have a minute!”

 

“Okay, okay! It is-is h-here in D-Derry, right?”

 

“Right...” Beverly said.

 

“S-So, wh-wh-why don’t we just t-take It and _p-push_ it somewhere else?”

 

Everyone stared at him.

“That idea…” Stan started. “Might just be crazy enough… to get us all _killed_!”

 

“D-Does an-anyone else h-have a better i-idea, then?!”

 

Nothing stopped their arguing until they heard a loud snap and creek of metal. They all looked back at the ferris wheel that was swaying due to the strong wind having picked up. The lights on it flickered and shorted out when it dropped to the ground with a shaking thud. It slowly started to roll towards them, quickly picking up speed.

 

The losers screamed and ran as fasted as they could. They raced back to the carousel, splitting off in different directions.

“Wait!” Georgie called. “We need to stay together!” He saw Richie run to the right side of the carousel. He went to follow him but Bill yanked the boy to run to the left side with him.

“Bill, wait!” He stopped running and pulled his brother with him. “We _have_ to stay together! Everyone’s going to die if they’re alone!” He tried to pull again but Bill prevented him from budging.

 

Before the teen could say anything, the ferris wheel loudly collided with the middle of the carousel. Lights on the carousel busted and sparks rained down. The mirrors had shattered and some of the animals broke. The wheel turned to graze the right side of the carousel.

 

“Bill, let me go!”

 

“No!” He pulled him by the wrist. “You’re st-st-staying with me! It’s the-the o _nly_ w-way I know y-you’re safe!”

 

The boy winced from the pain in his wrist and he had a look in his eyes that Bill recognized. It was a scared and desperate look to get away. The teen gasped slightly and released the boy. He watched as Georgie ran from him. A laughter from behind the teen made him turn around.

 

“Nice one, _Zack_.”

 

“Sh-Shut up!!” Bill hissed.

 

Pennywise continued to laugh at him. His eyes went off the teen for a moment as he watched the ferris wheel. While the clown was distracted, Bill ran over to grab the discarded, bloodied baseball bat lying on the ground. He cringed when he saw Mike’s dead body but he didn’t have time to dwell on him. He had to fight. He couldn’t take time to feel bad or guilty for leaving him.

 

Georgie ran around the carousel to get to Richie. The teen glanced back in time to see the ferris wheel teetering and starting to fall. It was much too large for Georgie to be able to run out from it before it landed. Richie turned back for the boy to somehow get him before the wheel fell.

Pennywise’s smile faded as he foresaw the event. He moved to go after Georgie just as Bill was running up to hit him. The clown gave the teen a narrowed side glance before vanishing to avoid the swing of the bat. Bill didn’t realize Pennywise was gone until he felt his bat miss.

 

Richie and Georgie were running desperately towards each other with arms stretched out. Their fingers were just bout to touch when Georgie was yanked by his jacket. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the boy was swiftly yanked to safety. Their eyes widened at each other as Richie saw Pennywise had Georgie and Georgie saw the ferris wheel collapse on Richie. A nearby tree caught the top part of the wheel but it wasn’t strong enough to keep it up. The tree snapped and collapsed with it. It did, however, slow the fall of the wheel.

 

 

Georgie was in a completely different area within a second. The boy tried to stutter some kind of words as the clown gently set him down.

 

“Don’t worry, my beautiful one. Richie is still alive.” The clown seemed annoyed he had to jump in to save the brat. He wasn’t able to directly torment the others if he had to babysit.

“Can you at least _try_ to not get killed?” He narrowed his eyes at the boy. “For _five minutes_! Do you think you can do that?”

 

Georgie whined at the clown’s anger. “But-”

 

“No buts! I want you to stay put right here!” He pointed to the ground. Pennywise glanced up at the wind tugging at a tree branch. It had potential to snap and fling towards the child. He moved the boy over a few paces until he was in the center of a safe diameter.

“Right here!” He iterated, crouching down to be more level with him. “Don’t move.” His demeanor suddenly changed as he made a giant, rainbow-swirled lollipop appear. “I’ll be back soon and then we’ll have some fun…” His soft voice and smile wasn’t enough to sooth the boy. Georgie cautiously took the lollipop and watched the clown leave.

 

 

 

Bill looked over just as the ferris wheel landed. The sound it made was haunting as it was pure destruction. He didn’t see Pennywise or Georgie anywhere. For some reason they weren’t his top priority. He went straight for Richie where he found him beneath the bars; alive. Thankfully, the wheel landed lopsided due to the tree where it didn’t kill him on impact but it did hurt and trap him.

 

“Are-Are you okay?!” He asked frantically.

 

“Yep!” He muttered in pain. “’Cause I’m gonna be dead!”

 

“Y-You’re n-not going to d-die, Richie.” Bill didn’t know how to help. He attempted to lift the bars up but it, of course, didn’t budge.

 

“I can’t fucking move, Bill!”

 

“Is an-anything br-broken?”

 

“I don’t know!” Tears of pain and frustration streamed down his face. “It hurts!”

 

Bill tried to lodge the baseball bat under the bars to create some leverage with the tree.

 

“Hurry up!”

 

“I’m tr-trying!”

 

“You fucking spit on me!” Richie wiped his face and spit back at Bill. “Get mono, bitch!”

 

“R-Richie!” Bill kept pushing with all his might and he managed to break and move a piece but it scraped harder against Richie’s leg.

 

“Ow!! God fucking damn it! What are you doing?!”

 

“I’m h-h-helpng y-you!!”

 

“You’re doing a shit job!”

 

“C-Can you cr-cr-crawl through that?” He asked, having made a little path for Richie.

 

The teen tried his best to pull himself out while Bill held the bar up. He didn’t have the strength to get fully out. He cried out in more frustration with tears. “I can’t!”

 

Bill had no choice but to drop the bar on Richie’s thigh so he could pull him out. The bar tore the teen’s jeans and skin as it pinned his leg down. He screamed in pain but Bill had to continue until he managed to pull his friend free. The teen gripped Bill’s shirt as he cried in pain.

“Bill…!”

 

“I’m h-h-here.” He slid off his opened plaid shirt and used it to wrap around his friend’s bleeding leg.

 

“…I’m sorry…” Richie whispered. He didn’t have the energy to shout anymore. He was exhausted and felt cold. “…I don’t mean to be a jerk to you so much…”

 

“Sh-Shut up,” Bill said as he applied pressure to Richie’s leg. “Y-You’re f-fine.”

 

“No, I’m not, Bill.” He shut his eyes with a tired sigh. He didn’t have the energy to talk anymore.


	28. Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning 1: This chapter is extremely long! I suggest having a snack or taking a break if you need to
> 
> Warning 2: This story has warnings XD (Such as major character death). Please look at the warnings 
> 
> Warning 3: Just a friendly reminder that this story has never meant to strictly follow the original It storyline. A lot of this is my own creation 
> 
> I hope you enjoy :3

Patrick was getting frustrated by not finding any sign of the boy. The carnival was too big to scout the whole area. Finally, he decided since he couldn’t spot the boy he’ll smoke him out. The teen took his lighter and set a colorful tent on fire. The strong wind helped spread the flames. Patrick chuckled as he watched the dark carnival be lit up. The light rain only seemed to add to the fire like gasoline.

 

 

Richie had his head on Bill’s thigh as he squeezed his eyes shut. He wasn’t unconscious but all he could think about was the tear-jerking pain he was in. Bill desperately looked around for the others but he didn’t see anyone.

“Wh-Where is ev-everybody?”

 

Richie didn’t respond to him but he didn’t need to. Cries from animals stole Bill’s attention. He looked over to the carousel to find some of the animals starting to move to life. Some of them were broken or remained lifeless. Mike’s tiger didn’t move. The ones that did move, however, were in great pain from the gold pole that pierced their bodies and kept them stationary.

 

“…What’s happening? …” Richie managed to croak out. He was only able to open his eyes for a moment.

 

“I…” Bill couldn’t finish his sentence. He noticed a couple animals were absent from the carousel. The rabbit and the fox were gone. There were no signs of them. Two of the carousel horses were able to snap free from the gold poles and run off in different directions. The next one to break free was the unicorn, also going in a new direction. The lion was in visible pain but wasn’t able to get free. The last animal to break out was the deer. It leaped off the platform and galloped towards the teens.

Bill quickly doubled over Richie to avoid getting kicked in the head as the deer jumped over them. The teen watched the giant, carousel-sized deer sharply turn and continue to race to rescue something. Bill gasped as only one concern popped up in his head.

“I h-have to f-f-find G-Georgie!” The teen carefully moved his friend’s head off his lap before he stood up. He grabbed the baseball bat to use for a weapon.

 

“Bill…” Richie rasped out, looking up at him. “Don’t leave me here!”

 

“I-I have to g-get my br-brother. I’ll b-be right back, I sw-swear!” He promised before running after the deer. He felt bad for leaving Richie behind but he had to make sure Georgie was safe. He told himself that Richie would be fine while he was gone.

 

“Bill! Ugh…” Richie stayed curled up in pain, the lion sharing his pain was the only company he had.

 

 

 

Georgie did as he was told and stayed where Pennywise put him. He anxiously licked the lollipop while he waited. He was worried about Bill and the others. He wondered where they were and if they were safe. Soon, the boy’s concerns melted away along with the rainbow colors of the lollipop. The boy became fascinated by the candy-flavored dye mixing and coming off on his tongue. Underneath the vibrant colors was a white base. Georgie tried nibbling a piece off when he heard a footstep behind him. His eyes widened as he listened carefully for noise. The footsteps paused when the boy flinched. A few moments passed before another cautious footstep was taken. The second the boy heard another step, he dropped the lollipop and bolted like a rabbit. He didn’t need to see the danger to know it was there. The footsteps behind him quickly followed.

 

 

 

“Hello, Richard~”

 

The teen forced himself to look up to see who called his name. Pennywise was standing a good distance away but it was still too close for comfort.

“Oh, God…!”

 

“Did Billy leave you?” He asked in a teasing tone, tilting his head and pretending to look concerned.

 

“Stay away from me, fucktard!!”

 

Pennywise smirked and lifted a foot out to take a step closer.

 

“Don’t get any closer!” Richie threatened.

 

“Or _what?_ ” The clown asked, his grin slowly growing.

 

“Or… You’re really going to get it!”

 

Pennywise giggled in such a way that made the teen shiver from fear. “What if I already am?” He asked, moving his leg out wider to take a bigger step.

 

“I’m… I’m warning you!”

 

Pennywise extended his leg all the way over to close the gap between them as if it was made of stretchable rubber. The action reminded Richie of something he’d seen in a cartoon.

“Oh, God, what the hell are you?” He asked, tears streaming down his face. He really wished he was under the Ferris wheel at this point to have some kind of protection from the clown.

 

“ _Your end_.” The clown whispered before his sharp teeth grew ten times bigger. They were jagged and protruded from his mouth.

 

 

 

Georgie ran inside the closest attraction, which happened to be a house of mirrors, in hopes to lose his chaser. He saw Patrick enter the maze behind him, thanks to the mirrors, just before he rounded a corner.

“Found you!!” The teen raced after him but went down the path of a dead end. He cursed loudly when he reached the glass, having to go back and try a different path.

 

“Pennywise!” The boy whispered for help, trying to find his way through the maze before the bully caught him.

 

 

The clown paused when he heard the boy call for him and his eyes slowly shifted to his upper right as he saw Georgie’s location. They weren’t anywhere near each other.

_“I thought I told you to stay put!”_

 

 

Georgie heard Pennywise’s voice enter his mind.

“I did!” The boy checked behind him before he took another turn in the maze. It was difficult to not get confused and disoriented by all the mirrors. “Help me!”

 

 

 

“…Why are you just standing there?” Richie asked between sobs. The creature was looming over him but not moving as It was distracted. A gold eye shifted down to pierce Richie’s gaze, making the teen cry more.

 

_“You’re fine.”_ Pennywise mentally told the boy. _“If he tries to kill you, I’ll stop it. Until then, you’re on your own.”_

 

The clown turned all his attention back to the teen as he picked him up. “Do you wanna play a game, Richie?” He asked teasingly.

 

Richie shook his head rapidly. “No, I don’t!” He tried keeping his eyes closed so he didn’t have to see the horrifying creature lifting him up but it was scarier to not see It.

 

Pennywise chuckled. “Oh, but you’ll like this game…” He started to slowly twirl with the teen in his grasp. The broken, distorted music from the carousel started to play along with the clown’s movement.

“Ring around the rosie…”

The clown sung slowly along to the distorted melody, encouraging the teen to join in for the second verse. Richie trembled and sobbed as he chanted the rest of the lyrics with him.

 

 

 

Georgie whined and made another quick turn but unfortunately came face-first to a mirror. “Ow…” The boy rubbed his nose but gasped when he saw Patrick coming up from behind him through the mirror. He didn’t have time to turn around to try to run away before the bully was right on him. The teen grabbed Georgie and slammed him up against the mirror to pin him there.

“Finally, I got you! Now I get to kill you!”

 

“No!”

The boy could see the crazy in the teen’s eyes from the mirror he was pushed against. He did his best to squirm free but the teen wasn’t going to let him go. Patrick frowned when he realized he didn’t really have anything to kill the kid with. He had his lighter but that was about it. The bully did the next thing to come to his mind which was to grab a fistful of the boy’s hair and ram his head against the mirror. A startled noise quickly followed by a grunt of pain came from the boy. Georgie squeezed his eyes shut as he braced for the teen to completely bust his head open. The only thought to go through the boy’s mind was he was going to die.

 

 

“Pockets full of posies… Ashes… Ashes…” The clown released the crying teen but he still ascended further in the air. Richie stopped singing along as he tried to figure out what was happening. Pennywise’s voice grew deeper and distorted with the song.

“We… All… FLOAT.”

Just before the clown was going to devour the screaming teen, Pennywise’s vision was interrupted by checking on Georgie. He felt the boy’s final realization and involuntary acceptance to death. The clown growled, vanishing within the second. Richard fell to what he thought was going to be the clown’s jagged teeth, but he didn’t realize It was gone until the teen impacted the ground hard. He landed right on his wounded leg. Pain shot throughout his entire body, leaving him incapable of moving.

 

Georgie’s vision doubled and blurred as he looked one last time in the shattered mirror. The lights above them flickered, making the teen pause for a moment to look up. That moment was all Pennywise needed. Patrick looked away from the lights when he felt the boy suddenly squirm harder with panic. Georgie saw the clown standing behind them through one of the shards of the mirror. The teen saw what the boy saw for a second, his eyes widening in horror at the creature. He wasn’t even able to blink; that’s how fast it happened. A sharp blade that formed from Pennywise’s arm speared the teen’s head. The clown pulled out the blade and allowed Patrick’s body to collapse on the child.

 

Georgie screamed and desperately scrambled out from the teen’s dead body. He attempted to calm his breathing but he was too panicked.

“You-You killed him!”

 

“I saved you, didn’t I?” The clown smirked.

 

“But I didn’t want him to die!” He sucked in a breath and wiped away the tears obscuring his vision. Georgie flinched with a tiny yelp when Pennywise snatched the boy's hand. 

 

" _Don't give me that_ ," the clown hissed. "You knew he was going to die. I gave you this for a reason! To remind you how good of a job you're doing." He was referring to the death count on Georgie's hand. The boy had stopped watching the number grow a long time ago. It got to the point where it was better to not know.

Pennywise turned the boy's hand to force him to look at the number but Georgie quickly turned his head away. The clown laughed, squeezing the boy's hand.

"You may be worthless and stupid but you know _exactly_ what you're doing."

 

"I didn't kill them!" Georgie tried to pull his hand free but that only tightened Pennywise's grip.

 

"You may not have pulled the trigger but you handed over the bullet." Pennywise laughed lowly. "There's just as much blood on your hands as mine." He released the boy's hand, now drenched in blood. 

 

Georgie freaked out and frantically wiped his hand but the blood wouldn't come off. Pennywise grabbed the boy by the chin and made him look up at him. 

 

"Listen to me _very_ carefully..." His tone was dead serious as he stared into the boy's frightened eyes. "Now, I'm going to remind you what I've done for you." Pennywise slowly pulled away from him and snapped his fingers. All the surrounding mirrors became stills from events that didn't happen. The clown anticipated Georgie's confusion.

"Let me see if I can dumb this down enough for you..." It pointed to one of the mirrors. The image shown was of Georgie armless and dead in a sewer. "Remember that night we met? You would have died. But you _didn't_!" The mirror suddenly shattered, making the boy flinch. 

 

"How about this one?"

Pennywise moved on to the next mirror. This one showed the boy's first encounter with the bullies in the woods. It was the aftermath of him being raped and killed by the number of gashes slashed into him. That mirror also shattered loudly. The clown went through each event all the way to the most recent ones.

"Oh, look! Remember this one?"

He pointed to one that showed the boy crushed under the Ferris wheel. Once that mirror shattered, he moved to the last one that showed Georgie's head smashed in by Patrick. 

"And _again_! You're _welcome_!"

 

Georgie was crying by this point but the clown didn't care. 

 

"Here's what's going to happen," Pennywise lowered his voice to the child. "You're going to stay right here while I finish killing the others. No one is going to come in here so there's no danger to you if you stay here. The only way you'll get hurt is if you leave here. Don't make me come back for you... I'm not in the mood to be interrupted again."

 

Georgie didn’t say anything. He simply nodded as he continued to cry. Pennywise also didn’t say anything more. He narrowed his eyes at the boy, not believing he’ll stay put. The clown didn’t want to babysit him the entire night so he turned to leave. If the child tried to leave then he would make it so he wouldn’t be able to move.

“Remember… _stay here_!” He hissed.

The lights suddenly burst, startling the boy and leaving him alone in the dark. All Georgie had was the dead body of the bully that tried to kill him. He took a step back, gasping when he stepped on something. He was so on edge. He knew he needed to calm himself down. His panic would only benefit Pennywise. The boy took a series of coached breathing as he picked up the object he stepped on. It was Patrick’s lighter. Georgie didn’t like to think about the teen next to him being dead. He willingly lied to himself that Patrick was only sleeping. It didn’t really help so the boy pretended the dead body wasn’t there at all.

Once he calmed himself enough, Georgie flicked open the lighter and tried to ignite it. He knew he had to find his way out. He had to get to the others before Pennywise. The boy slid his thumb as fast and hard as he could but only seemed to make the lighter spark. He cried out from frustration.

“I’m going to die here!” Georgie desperately tried a few more times and finally got it to light. However, the flame scared him and he let it immediately go out. He was surprised he wasn’t burned by the flame since it was so close to his hand. With a whine, the boy tried again to ignite the lighter. He feared the little flame but he had to use it to find his way out of the maze. Once he got it lit, he held his thumb down and carefully walked out of the dead-end he was in. He felt that he needed to hurry or the lighter would explode if stayed ignited for an extended period of time.

 

 

Victor was getting more and more anxious the longer it took for him to find the kid. He was scared to run into Henry. Thankfully, the teen had a rough idea on where the leader was. He had seen him go by the carousel so Victor specifically chose to go the opposite way. He constantly kept a lookout for the kid and anyone else. Victor happened to glance over at the dark house of mirrors when he noticed a tiny flame reflected through the mirrors. His first thought was it was Patrick but he quickly ruled him out. He noticed the yellow of the boy’s rain jacket thanks to the light provided from the flame. Victor went up to the end of the maze and peeked in.

“Kid!” He whispered. “You in here?”

 

Georgie froze and let the lighter go out when he heard the teen’s voice. Once he recognized it was Victor’s and he didn’t notice any ill-intent behind his words, he answered. “Yeah…” He mumbled. “I can’t find my way out!”

 

“Okay, just stay there and turn on the lighter,” He called. “I’ll come get you.”

 

Georgie trusted him and ignited the lighter once more. He needed and wanted someone to trust to save him. He wished it had been Bill to come after him but that only gave the boy more drive to try to find his brother.

It didn’t take long for Victor to find him. The boy wasn’t that far from the exit.

“Come this way,” Victor whispered, waiting for the boy to come to him before he backtracked his way out. When they got to the exit, the teen paused to check to make sure it was clear. There wasn’t a soul around them.

“It’s clear,” He said after he walked out and looked around to be absolutely sure. “Let’s go!” He extended his hand to the boy that stayed in the dark for safety.

Georgie nodded and grabbed the teen’s hand. The moment their hands touched, Victor felt a knife being stabbed in his side. He cried out in pain and the child yelped as he was reached for by another hand. Henry was suddenly there. He dug the knife deeper into the other teen as he tried to take the boy from Victor. Victor lost his footing while trying to push off Henry. They all fell to the ground in a tangle. Georgie quickly clawed to get away but Henry grabbed the boy’s legs. He tried to break his legs so he wouldn’t be able to get away.

“I told you not to leave!” He hissed to the boy. Georgie was screaming too loud to really hear what was said to him.

 

Victor was confused. He had just seen Henry go the other direction. There was no way he could have gotten to them. He even checked to see if it was clear and he saw no one. The teen didn’t have much time to ponder it. He had to do something quick. He yanked the knife from his side and stabbed his leader in the shoulder at the base of his neck. Henry released the child enough for him to scramble free. A demonic growl let Victor know something was _very_ wrong. Henry easily pulled the knife out, completely unfazed by it, and turned to Victor. Something yellow flashed in Henry’s eyes. The other teen tried to get away from him but he pinned him to the ground. Victor didn’t know what this thing was but he knew it wasn’t the real Henry. He did his best to push back the knife that the imposter teen was shoving to his throat, but despite all his efforts, It was stronger than him.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Victor.” It growled, still using Henry’s voice.

Victor couldn’t respond. He was desperately trying to stay alive and prevent the knife from puncturing his throat.

 

Georgie had gotten up and ran. He started out in a limp, his legs wanting to cramp from being twisted, but he was limber enough to run out the pain. He made the mistake of crying out for his brother, bringing Pennywise’s attention back to him.

The creature growled again and took Victor’s hand, swiftly slamming the knife down, nailing the teen’s palm to the ground. He screamed in pain as It pushed the knife deeper in.

“I’ll come back for you later,” It promised as he got up to run after the boy.

Victor watched the creature shapeshift into the exact image of Bill. He didn’t know what was happening but he prayed that thing wouldn’t reach the kid. The teen tried to move the knife out of his hand but it was lodged too deep and he was in too much pain. He used his free hand to cover up his side wound. He didn’t want to die.

 

Georgie had a good head start to get away from Pennywise. The clown hissed and began altering the environment in order to disorient the boy and prevent him from running into the real Bill. Booths slowly vanished as if they were never there and trees suddenly came into vision. Georgie was able to turn on a dime and weave throughout the obstacles. He didn’t know where he was running to, he just knew he had to run. He was only minorly aware of the changes in the environment. He was too focused on getting away to know what was happening around him.

 

 

Stan had been searching for everyone. His first thought was to scout the edges of the carnival instead of blinding running around the middle. Unfortunately, his path was blocked by a growing blockade of fire. The fire was going to trap them all if they didn’t get out of there soon.

 

 

Oscar had noticed the bullies go down the same road the younger teens went down but he didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until time went by when the teen’s parents started calling that their children weren’t home and it was getting late. The officer’s first place to look was going down the road the kids took. He followed the backroads and was about to turn around when he finally came up to an opening. He saw the flood lights and fire spreading across the field.

“What the hell…” He quickly called for backup as he pulled up and got out of the car.

 

 

Stan stopped as he noticed the booth he had passed not long ago was no longer there. He took a straight path so he was sure he was in the same place as before. He looked over as a tree was phasing into existence. He didn’t understand why things were changing. The teen ran, finally spotting someone. It was Bill.

“Bill! Bill!”

 

 

Pennywise had to swallow his anger to make his disguise as believable as possible to the child. He didn’t want Georgie to see right through him. He opened his mouth to call out in Bill’s voice but he heard someone else call for Bill. It was Stan. The creature forced himself to stop, trying to not ball his fists up in anger as he watched the child go out of sight. It grudgingly waited for Stan to run up to him.

 

“Thank God I found you!” Stan huffed. “Something’s not right here.”

 

“What do you mean?” It asked in Bill’s voice, he kept looking in the direction Georgie ran. He was going to find the real Bill soon.

 

“It’s like… I don’t know what’s real anymore. This place is changing and for some reason it’s barely noticeable. We need to get everyone and get out of here _now_.”

 

“You go that way and I’ll go this way,” he said shortly as he started to walk. It wanted to get to Georgie.

 

Stan blinked at the teen’s suggestion. It was counterintuitive to what they needed to do. “We need to stay…” He trailed off as he realized something. He wondered how he didn’t catch it earlier. “…How come you didn’t stutter?”

 

Pennywise stopped. “Damn it…” He hissed. He forgot about that annoying detail of the teen he was masking himself as.

“Congratulations,” It said in a distorted voice of Bill’s as he turned to face him. His eyes were black and his mouth, full of teeth, unzipped in a spiral all the way down his body.

 

The teen flinched at the transformation. Something about it made him think of some demonic Cheshire cat. He didn’t spend a long time looking at him, quickly turning to run.

 

“What’s wrong, Stanley?” It asked. His voice was now an amalgamation of all the losers’ voices, including Stan’s. “Don’t you want your prize?”

 

The teen glanced back in time to see the creature drop to all fours and chase him. Stan gave an alarmed yelp as he ran as fast as he could to get away. Pennywise laughed at the teen, using his fear to drive him out of the way. His goal right now was to teach Georgie a lesson, not have him get away to safety. He steered Stan in the direction of the carousel where there was more fire forming. The creature stopped when he got over a sewage grate and he melted through the grate. The teen stopped to catch his breath when he reached the carousel. He noticed he wasn’t being chased anymore. He also noticed fire starting to spread.

 

Richie was on the ground, immobilized by pain. It took him a few moments to register that Stan was kneeling next to him, trying to help.

“Bill?” He groaned out, forcing himself to open his eyes. “You came back?” He was really hoping he had finally came back.

Stan gave him a gentle smile as he shook his head. “No,” He whispered. “It’s just me.”

 

“That bitch…”

 

“We have to go,” Stan said before attempting to lift Richie. The other teen weakly pushed him away.

 

“No! It hurts too much! Just leave me here to die!” The teen groaned as he tried to move. “Put me out of my misery, please…”

 

Stan frowned, glancing over at the fire spreading. “There’s fire, Richie. We _have_ to leave.” Despite the other teen’s protests, he tried lifting him up.

 

“Where’s the others?” Richie asked between heavy breathing. “Are they dead?”

 

“I don’t know… I haven’t found them yet…”

 

 

 

Elsewhere, Bill continued to chase the deer. The shift in environment slowed the teen down but he kept a desperate lock on the animal. It felt like he’d been running forever by the time he saw his brother. They were running to each other. His muscles and lungs screamed for him to take a break but the teen pushed on.

 

“Billy!” Georgie wasn’t sure if he should be concerned about the giant deer galloping towards him. As he was looking at the deer, he didn’t notice he ran over a sewage grate in the ground. It wasn’t until his body clashed with the hard ground that he realized Pennywise’s hand had shot up just as he went by the grate and was now pulling him down.

 

“G-Georgie!” Bill’s eyes widened with fear. He wasn’t close enough to get to Georgie in time.

The boy clawed the dirt to slow himself from being dragged. The deer was closer to the child but just as it was about to reach him, lightning struck a tree and caused it to crash down, killing the deer. Parts of the tree also landed on Georgie but Pennywise had tugged him down further so he would only get cut up instead of being hurt too much. The clown didn’t want him dead. _Yet_. Georgie’s arms were the only things still above ground. The tree fell across the sewer opening, cutting the boy’s arms and face as it tried pushing the child further in.

Bill slid across the dirt on his knees to grab his brother’s hands before he was pulled in. He dropped the bat and squeezed Georgie’s hands, wincing as the tree cut him deeper and tried to fight him off. There was a small gap that would just barely be enough for Georgie to squeeze through, Bill just needed to get a better grip on him. Pennywise wasn’t planning on letting go this time like he did when they first met. Before the teen could tug his brother up, the clown yanked down, forcing the teen on his stomach and smacking his head against the tree.

 

“Billy!” Georgie felt the teen loosen his grip from the impact.

The boy’s call was just a blur. Bill was bleeding above his left eye. He didn’t have the leverage to be able to get back up to pull, and he wasn’t going to be able to fit in the gap to go down with Georgie. All he could do was hold on. Bill’s stare went blank as distracting whispers clouded his mind. It was almost as if he was hearing static. Georgie continued to beg his brother’s name until he finally seemed to snap back to reality. The teen regripped Georgie’s hands but something else started grabbing them. Multiple hands snaked their way up and began pulling Georgie. The boy shrieked as unknown hands covered his face and weighed him down. Hands also squeezed and pushed at Bill, obstructing his view. The whispering and static grew louder until the boy’s hands slipped from his brother’s.

 

“Georgie!!”

 

The hands immediately retreated into the sewer with the boy. Bill shoved his arm down to try to grab something, anything, but came up empty handed. He took the baseball bat and began hammering the branches that restricted his access.

 

 

Pennywise tossed the boy to the damp ground, not caring if he got hurt. "You deliberately disobeyed me! I told you to stay where you were and you just _had_ to leave! These losers would be dead by now if you would just do something right for once in your life and follow orders!"

 

Georgie winced in pain and he cried, having Pennywise mad at him terrified him. He scrambled to get up as fast as his aching body would allow him to move. He needed to get away from him. The clown didn’t stop the child from trying to run. There wasn’t anywhere for him to escape down here. Pennywise took slow steps after the boy.

"You're becoming more trouble than you're worth... You've done nothing but distract me all day from doing my job."

 

"Just let us go!" Georgie yelled as he ran. “You’ve killed enough people!”

He turned down a tunnel and came up to a dead end that was blocked by bars. Tied to one of the bars was a red balloon. He quickly turned around when he heard Pennywise approach from behind.

 

“Ah, ah, ah…” The clown shook his head as slow as his walk. "That's not part of the deal. You don’t get to make up the rules as we go along. _I do_.”

 

"I don't care about that anymore! I just don't want you to hurt anyone else." The boy looked up at him with pleading, shaking eyes. He had no confidence he could persuade the clown by begging but it was his only option.

Pennywise was livid. He quickly grabbed the boy by the throat and lifted him up. "I kept you alive all this time," he hissed, squeezing his throat. "You _really_ want all those people to have died in vain for you? Do you _REALLY_ want to make me mad?"

 

The boy was too petrified to answer. The only sounds he could make were pitiful hiccups. His tears burned his eyes.

Pennywise only gave him a few seconds to come up with a verbal apology before he made his decision to get rid of the kid now.

"Fine! You can join them!" He opened his mouth wide, teeth enlarging. Georgie managed to find a voice strong enough to scream as loud as he could. The cry echoed throughout the tunnels and made its way back to Bill. The teen did everything in his power to break one of the branches.

 

Georgie’s screams were drowned out by the screams of the souls that Pennywise had taken. The boy heard each eternal pain from everyone who had perished from Pennywise before him. There was one that hurt more than all the others. It was Lexi’s. Her scream clung to him the most. The clown watched Georgie’s reactions closely, enjoying the adrenaline his fear brought him. His pupils inflated as the child’s fear peaked. Just before It closed his teeth on the boy, he got a brilliant idea. He slowly lowered the boy before dropping him, closing his mouth with a smirk.

“I have an idea…” Pennywise grinned at the boy that squirmed and twitched on the ground. “I think I'll let you suffer a little longer before I end you."

 

Georgie was still too shaken up to really respond or do anything. He just cried on the ground.

 

"I'm going to kill Bill first!” The clown said with glee. He knew the teen was seconds from busting his way in to get to Georgie.

 

"No!" The boy shouted between hyperventilating. "Not Bill!" 

 

"Oh?" Pennywise said tauntingly with amusement as he turned his body to leave. "I'm heading to Bill…"

 

Georgie cried out of desperation and forced himself to have the strength to sit up. "Don't!"

 

The clown took overdramatic steps away from him. "I'm getting closer to Bill…!" He said it in such a mocking and condescending manner. 

 

"Stop!" Georgie stretched out the syllable as he cried louder. The clown simply laughed and then made a quick motion at the boy that made him jump.

"I'll race ya! If you get to Bill first, he lives! If I get to him first, he dies! I'll even give you a head start!”

 

“No…” He whimpered weakly. He didn’t want to play any games.

 

“5!"

 

Georgie wasn't given a choice. He forced himself to get up and run. The clown counted down every few seconds, his voice altering with each number. His countdown echoed through the tunnels.

 

The boy breathed heavily. He was exhausted before he even started running. When Pennywise counted to 1, all Georgie heard was fast, loud footsteps and laughter behind him. There was something about hearing the rapid running behind him that terrified him. Luckily, the exit was in sight. He saw a branch had been knocked down into the sewer. It was still attached to the tree so it acted almost as a ladder. The clown suddenly shoved Georgie down and laughed more as he made it to the exit first, leaving the child scraped up and crying.

Pennywise shapeshifted into a very peculiar snake as it slithered up the branch. Instead of forming into a normal snake to blend into the color of the tree, he turned into a white snake with red markings.

Bill was currently pushing the tree with his foot to try to break the branch completely off to make room for him to get in. The teen gasped when he felt something wrap around his ankle. He knew it was Pennywise and not just an average snake from the coloring. It quickly slithered around Bill’s thigh, sending a chill of discomfort down his spine, before sliding off the teen. It resumed to his clown form once it went behind Bill.

 

"Hello, Billy~"

 

Bill quickly got up and held the bat defensively. "G-Give him back!" He shouted at him. 

 

“Who?” The clown asked with a bored expression.

 

“G-Georgie!”

 

“Oh! Well, he’s dead.” He said it so nonchalantly that Bill completely believed him. The teen’s face fell and his eyes widened. Pennywise was only able to hold his composure for a few seconds before he busted out laughing. “You should have seen your stupid face!” It pointed at the teen as he doubled over in laughter. “You really thought I-” He couldn’t finish his sentence by how much he was laughing. “Ohh,” He finally calmed himself down to a chuckle. “You should have seen Georgie’s face, too. And the way he screamed.”

 

The teen’s embarrassment quickly bubbled into rage as he lunged for the clown. Pennywise waited to dodge him at the last minute to make him think he had a shot. Bill expected his bat to hit something but he missed.

 

“Missed me, missed me! Now you gotta kiss me!” The clown taunted with a little jog.

 

Bill squeezed the bat so tight from anger that his knuckled turned white. He quickly turned around to face him. “Give G-Georgie back!”

 

Pennywise laughed. "You really want that little rodent after all he's done?"

 

"He-He hasn't done an-anything!" The teen hissed. He was seething.

 

"Poor, naive, Bill! You don't even know the half of it!" 

 

Bill got his bat ready when the clown began to step closer to him.

 

"He's been helping me this entire time, you know. He helped set this whole thing up. He led you all here to be killed by me." The clown grinned with all his teeth. "He's the reason you and your loser friends are going to die."

 

"Sh-Shut up! I d-don't b-believe anything you s-say!" He swung his bat hard but the clown was unfazed. Bill flinched. A part of him expected the bat to miss. He didn’t think he’d get a hit on him.

 

It simply giggled.

"I told you that you weren't ready to fight me," he whispered, his smile fading into a serious look as he lifted Bill up by the neck. The teen struggled to get free. “You’re alone… You’re scared… You’re not good enough.” Pennywise laughed at his insecurities, tossing the teen and sending him crashing into a booth.

 

Bill grunted in pain and winced as he forced himself up. He dropped his bat when he hit the table but he quickly retrieved it. Pennywise slowly walked over to him.

"I want to show you something," the clown said, placing his hand on Bill's forehead. "This is who you've been protecting."

Before Bill had any time to react to Pennywise putting his hand on him, he received painful flashes. They were all rapid images of Georgie making the deal with Pennywise and helping to lure people to their deaths. The images were edited in such a way that it only showed the parts where Georgie willingly followed through. The parts where the child was threatened or where he felt guilt afterwards had been cut out. It released the teen but left him with a pounding headache. Bill grunted and held his head for a moment.

 

“How do you feel about protecting him now? Well… you _try_ to protect him.” Pennywise chuckled. “You’re not very good at it.”

 

“Th-That’s… n-not true.” His head was still killing him. The pain was distracting.

 

“Do you think, if the roles were reversed, he would feel the same way?”

 

The teen looked at the clown who had lazily started pacing. Pennywise smirked at Bill’s questioning stare.

“If you were the killer instead of him… Do you think he’d still love you? Or would he just fear you?” The clown chuckled. “You played a killer in that little school play of yours. How appropriate.”

 

“Sh-Shut up! I’m not a k-k-killer and n-neither is he! You’re j-j-just a liar and an a-abuser!”

 

“You’re projecting yourself, deer.”

 

 “D-D-Don’t call me that! You’re dead!” He hissed, running straight for him.

The clown waited patiently with his hands clasped behind his back. When the teen got to him, he swiftly uppercut him with extended claws. The claws lifted Bill up for just a moment from the stomach before dropping him, sliding through his skin like butter up his neck while he fell. Pennywise could have easily killed the teen by piercing him or even simply applying more pressure. He purposely held back, wanting the teen to realize just what he was up against.

Bill hit the ground with shock. The first thing to come to his mind was he was going to die. It frightened him to know that the clown wasn’t even using a fraction of his power against him. Bill really couldn’t stand a chance alone. The teen ignored the fact he was bleeding stripes from his gut to his chin. He just scrambled back to put distance between them.

 

 

 

Georgie had stayed lifeless on the ground until his tears stopped falling. He was so worn out that he didn’t believe he had any fight left in him. A few moments passed before he forced himself up. He didn’t know what he was going to do or why he felt the need to try something. Every part of his body ached and told him to stay down and accept defeat.

 

Pennywise snorted with amusement and blurred until there was 3 of him formed. Each clown slowly walked to the teen. “What was that about me being dead?” They all spoke and laughed in unison.

Bill got to his feet and got his bat ready but he didn’t know which one to hit. He didn’t notice that his breathing was labored from pain and fear.

 

Georgie used the broken branch that was still threaded to the tree as something to climb up. The bark hurt his already bruised and damaged skin. He whined as he finally pulled himself out of the sewer. Georgie looked over at Bill being closed in on.

“Left!” He cried out in a broken shout.

 

As soon as the order registered in Bill’s mind, he blindly trusted his brother and swung to the left Pennywise with all his might. Luckily, that was the correct one. The clown grunted and closed his eyes from the impact, the other ones quickly vanishing.

“You’re going to give me a headache with that…” The clown tore the bat out of the teen’s grasp, snapping the metal in half. Bill didn’t care at this point, he ran straight for Georgie who was still lying on the ground. Before Bill could reach his brother, he was suddenly yanked into the air. He expected to find Pennywise holding him but he was just suspended in the air. The brothers exchanged a small glance before Georgie looked at the clown that was walking over to them. He had one piece of the bat still in his hand.

“Deer, oh dear. What do we have here? A bunny that wants to play… But first the deer has to pay...”

 

“N-No one likes your st-stupid r-r-rhymes! And wh-wh-what’s with you and an-animals?!”

 

A tiny, genuine giggle escaped from Georgie. It was hardly the time or place to crack a smile, much less laugh. The boy had reached the point where he needed to laugh to keep from crying. The stares he received only prolonged his giggle before he quieted down.

Bill thankfully watched Pennywise’s reaction to his brother. Something changed. It was only a slight visible change but it was enough for Bill to catch. The laughter seemed to weaken the clown. The teen wasn’t sure if weaken was the right word. A part of him had zero faith that the clown had any weakness at all. He felt sure that all hope was lost for them, but something changed when Georgie laughed. It was like Pennywise didn’t know how to counter the laugh, especially since he wasn’t expecting it. Bill knew full well that Pennywise could kill them both in a second. The clown’s ability to kill never changed but for a second his motivation shifted. The teen stared at his brother. For whatever reason, Georgie was the key to this. Maybe it was because he couldn’t be scared if he was happy. Bill didn’t know how or if that would save them, but he knew as long as he kept Georgie’s spirits high then they just _might_ have a fighting chance. It would be better if they had the whole group, though.

 

Pennywise quickly narrowed his eyes at the teen and popped his chin with the end of the baseball bat. “Watch yourself, stutter boy! Or I’ll knock out your teeth and make nice friendship bracelets for you and your lover- I mean brother.”

The clown chuckled at Bill’s hiss. He noticed the teen had went into deep thought and he wanted to discourage that. He turned his attention back to the child who still looked exhausted but he had a faint, little perk in mood from laughing.

“You had a lucky guess, didn’t you?” He asked the boy, referring to when he told Bill which of the three to hit.

 

Georgie shook his head. He remained on the dirt, now forming into mud due to the steady rainfall, not wanting to appear like he was challenging Pennywise.

“I always know when it’s you.” His voice was quiet but a tiny, playful smile formed. “We see each other.” He gave a half-second pause between each word for emphasis as well as moved his hand back and forth between them.

 

It was Bill’s turn to smile. He knew exactly where Georgie picked that saying up from. It was one of the many inside jokes they shared with each other. That was the one phrase Bill could say without stuttering. It didn’t matter how fast he spoke or how frustrated he was, he could always say that. He supposed he had Georgie to thank for that. When they were younger and Bill’s stuttering was at its worst, Georgie had tried to reteach him to speak by making him read his children’s books aloud. He would always correct him if he messed up or would point to a word and ask if Bill saw what he wanted him to read whenever he took too long to respond. The older boy didn’t particularly like taking corrections from his younger brother, so out of frustration he spat out that phrase. He paused slightly between the words to let Georgie know he was annoyed and wanted him to back off. The boy simply responded with a smile then told him he didn’t stutter.

 

Pennywise cut a glare at the teen that made his smile quickly drop. He looked back at Georgie. He didn't like how calm he was being. 

"You crawled up here for nothing. I won our little race so that means Bill dies."

 

The boy frowned and started to look concerned but Bill interjected.

"I mean... y-you're kinda d-doing me a f-f-favor," he deadpanned a familiar way that made his brother smile. Georgie always liked Bill's dry humor. "Have you s-s-seen my l-life?" 

 

Pennywise had enough. The boys were too comfortable with each other. He needed to separate them so he could frighten them again. He whacked Bill in the gut with the remainder of the baseball bat. The hit stole the breath out of Bill and it ended the siblings' fun real quick. Pennywise grabbed Georgie by his jacket and lifted him up. 

"You two annoy me..." He grumbled. "But it's interesting how you're using each other for different reasons."

The clown slowly smirked at their expressions. "Up for a game of tag?"

 

Georgie had a feeling there wasn't a choice. 

 

"D-Do we have-"

 

"YES." Pennywise snapped at Bill quickly. "This version of tag is different. I'll be It. If anyone gets caught, they die." He shrugged. "All you have to do is out run me. But just so you know… at the very _least_ two of you will die."

 

Bill didn't like the sound of this game. It sounded like nothing but a trap and a way to get them scared. He looked over at Georgie who was starting to get nervous. He didn't want his brother to worry. He wanted to make sure he stayed calm. 

"Th-That's it? P-Piece of c-cake."

 

"Ohh, but there's a catch." Pennywise grinned. "How much do you _really_ trust each other?"

 

Before they could answer, Pennywise set Georgie and Bill down to their feet then grabbed the boys' faces. In tandem, the clown took away Bill's sight and gave Georgie new vision. The teen groaned and gripped the clown's hand, trying to push him off. His sight was blurring until it finally resulted in a hazy, dark grey and black environment. Georgie's sight seemed unchanged at first glance but he experienced similar pain Bill was having. Pennywise laughed then a crack of thunder started the game.

Georgie blinked and found he was alone. He didn't know where Bill or Pennywise went. He quickly started getting panicked. 

"Bill?"

 

"G-Georgie..." Bill couldn't see anything but he heard his brother call for him. "I can't s-s-see anything."

 

The boy blinked as he heard his brother's voice. It took him a moment to register it was in his head. He wasn't sure how he did it but he managed to shift his eyes in a way that shifted his vision to something completely different. The environment was grey and dark except for reds, yellows, and blues. It reminded Georgie of a dark version to one of his children books. His sight quickly scanned throughout the area until he reached Bill. The teen had a red glow around him to signify that he was his. Georgie wondered if this was how Pennywise saw him.

"I see you," he mumbled. He looked around Bill to figure out where he was. "We're not near each other."

 

Bill could hear the worry in his brother's voice. He needed to keep him calm otherwise he might lose him.

"Wh-Whats your tw-twenty?"

 

Georgie recognized the familiar terminology. Bill taught him a few sayings when they played with walkies. Someone's twenty was their location.

"Um..." The boy naturally knew how to switch out of the vision. He was in the same place they were. He quickly switched to scan Bill's area. He saw a lot of fire where he was. "I didn't move," he said. "But you're where the Ferris wheel used to be. There's a lot of fire..."

 

"L-Lead me to you." He could tell the boy was still scared but he hoped he could calm him. 

 

"Copy..." 

Georgie started to map a safe direction for Bill to take but then he saw Stan and Richie. Stan was carrying him and they were heading towards the exit. The boy zoomed ahead at the flood lights, finding police, ambulances, and fire trucks arriving.

"I see Stan and Richie. They're safe. The police are here, too."

 

"Wh-What about ev-everyone else?"

 

Georgie searched around. As he skimmed, he saw that Victor was still alive but only barely. A lot of fire was near him. The fire didn't seem to care about the rain coming down. It was like the rain wasn't there at all. The boy had to move on to find the others. He finally spotted Eddie but he was currently being chased by Henry.

"I found Eddie... Henry is after him. They're close to you."

 

"I'll g-get Eddie. J-Just tell me wh-where to go." The teen didn't like not being able to make out anything but he had Georgie to be his eyes.

 

"I will... You're facing the right way." The boy was letting his worry get to him. He felt better knowing adults were there but it didn't ease him all the way. 

 

"St-St-Stay where you're at. I'll get y-you n-next." Bill started to walk with a purpose. He was trying to remember the layout of the carnival. He knew that the carousel should be a straight shot. 

 

"Hurry..." Georgie quickly searched for Beverly. She was alone but she seemed unharmed and not in any immediate danger.

 

 

Victor was still lying where he was staked. He coughed from the smoke that was forming. He was in so much pain and was about to give up when he suddenly felt someone yank the knife out of his hand. He weakly cried out in pain and was scared to look to see who it was. He worried that creature had come back. Much to the teen's surprise, it was Belch. Not much was exchanged between them. There wasn't time to chat. Belch helped his friend up and acted as a crutch to get him to safety. 

 

 

Stan and Richie moved slowly but it was worth it. They stopped and waited when a couple paramedics spotted them.

"Is it just you kids?" One of the men asked, taking Richie from Stan. 

 

The teen shook his head. "No, there's more."

 

The paramedics moved swiftly to take Richie to an ambulance. Stan followed to the safety of the flood lights. He looked around at all the police scouting the nearby area and the firemen attempting the put out the fire. Stan noticed officer Bowers in the mix of the other officers. He had his arms crossed as he stared off in the carnival. Stan waited for one of the officers to go in but no one did. The only ones who rushed in were more paramedics when they saw Belch and Victor slowly make their way to the lights. 

 

 

The child guided his brother back to the carousel where he had a choice. He could go around left of the carousel which took longer and there was more fire or he could go around the right and possibly run into Henry. Georgie whined.

"Stop."

 

Bill obeyed. "Wh-What is it?"

 

Georgie was terrified of fire and he didn't want to see his brother near it but he also didn't want him to bump into Henry. Especially since he couldn't see for himself.

"...Go left..."

 

Bill didn't like the uncertainty in his brother's voice. The teen coughed some and kept the back of his hand against his nose to not breath in as much smoke. He decided he needed keep talking to him to help both of their anxiety. "G-Georgie, I th-th-think I know h-how we can w-w-win."

 

Georgie was about to ask how but quickly found a third route. "You're at the carousel, cut through it!" He was too scared the fire would end up catching up to him. 

 

Bill felt around to find the platform before he climbed on it.

 

"Go around the left..." Georgie hated this job. He didn't like the responsibility for making sure his brother stayed safe. It was nerve racking because so much could easily go wrong. Was that how Bill usually felt with Georgie? Now that the boy had successfully crushed his own spirits, he wiped away a tear that involuntarily fell.

 

"G-Georgie, I n-n-need you to keep t-talking to me." He said as he felt his way around. He didn't want Georgie to be an easy target for Pennywise.

 

"Okay..." He said shakily. "Do you have a plan or something? Climb off the carousel now." An uneasy feeling told the boy to switch back to his normal vision and look around. Georgie didn't know where Pennywise was and he couldn't find him even with the new vision. "...Bill I'm scared."

 

"D-Don't be! I'll be there s-s-soon." He climbed off the carousel and continued walking.

 

"Go around the left of the fallen Ferris wheel but stay close to it and hurry... There's more fire..." Georgie was seconds from a panic attack.

 

"Georgie,"

 

"What?" He tried to fight back crying.

 

"We h-have to st-stay calm to b-beat this."

 

"I don't think I can..."

 

"Y-Yes, you can!" The teen felt for the Ferris wheel and kept close as he rounded it. "I d-don't th-th-think Pennywise is-is going to kill you, but you h-have to stay calm."

 

"Are you crazy? He's going to kill me!"

 

"I'm cl-closer to death th-than you are... Y-You can convince him to n-not kill you. You can pr-probably diss-distract him so we can run away."

 

"No!" Georgie was only getting more panicked and upset. "I'm not brave like you are! Don't make me face him..."

 

Bill's heart broke from the sound of Georgie's scared voice. "Okay... Y-You don't h-have to face him."

 

Georgie sniffed then checked Bill's surroundings. Eddie had gone into a room to avoid Henry. Henry was stalking the area.

"Wait," He mumbled. "Crouch down and just wait. Henry's close."

 

The teen held one hand on the Ferris wheel as he kneeled down. 

 

 

Eddie was completely emotionally fried by this point. He had been separated from the others and couldn't find anyone. The only person he managed to find was Henry; which didn't help. Eddie ran into what he thought was going to be a maze but he suddenly walked in a white, small room. He turned around to leave but there was no exit. It was just white walls surrounding him. The teen used his inhaler for about the fifth time that night. He dropped it when he realized the walls were gradually moving closer. He gave a panicked yelp, pushing his hands and soon his legs against the pressing walls. He was incredibly claustrophobic and felt he was seconds away from a stress-induced heart attack. Eddie was taking quicker breaths. He felt like there wasn't enough air. For some reason, it felt like the room was moving down. Just as Eddie was sure he was going to pass out, the ceiling and the floor of the box suddenly vanished. Below him, looked to be the sewer but large spikes ascended from the ground. Above him was the outside but he was too scrunched up to climb out. Slowly, the walls started moving away, causing the teen to slip. 

 

 

Henry moved slowly but finally got a little further from Bill so Georgie gave him clearance to go to Eddie. 

 

Bill heard Eddie's scream and ran towards it.

 

"Wait!" Georgie managed to stop his brother before he ran right in the hole. "He's in a hole, you have to pull him out."

 

The teen got on his knees and felt for the edge of the box so he wouldn't fall in. 

"Bill!!" Eddie was relieved to see a friend.

 

"Eddie!" He blindly reached a hand in to help him.

 

His friend grabbed his hand. "I need both your hands, Bill!"

 

He sent down his other hand to be grabbed just in time before Eddie's feet slipped off the walls. The walls stopped moving out but now the top started to slowly close.

 

"Pull me up!" Eddie said desperately. He noticed his friend's eyes were glassed over.

 

 

While Bill was getting Eddie, Georgie decided to check on Beverly. She was closer now. Instead of staying where he was and keeping an eye on Bill, he ran to find Beverly. He didn't want to be alone. He wanted the safety of another person even though he was relatively safe where he was. 

 

 

Bill was pulling up when suddenly a whisper invaded his right ear. He flinched and that loosened the grip he had.

 

"Bill!!"

 

He quickly tightened his hold and started pulling again but soon had to stop pulling. He whispers were rushed murmurs that Bill could barely make out. There was also a base static underneath. It made his head kill him. 

 

"Bill, what's wrong?!" The gap was closing more and more.

 

The teen wasn't able to answer his friend. His voice was irrelevant. The only voice that would have been able to break through would be Georgie's but he was finding Beverly instead of watching. 

The pain became unbearable and the teen released his friend.

 

"Bill!" Eddie still clung to Bill's hands but they were slipping due to sweat. He kept screaming his name but the static and whispers had won over his mind. Eddie clawed the teen's hand in one final attempt to bring him back before his hands slipped and he fell. The gap in the ground immediately closed, muting the teen's falling scream. 

Bill doubled over in pain. He completely forgot Eddie was even there and he was supposed to save him. Slowly, the whispers had no further reason to torture Bill so they left. In addition to the noise leaving, Bill's eyesight slowly came back. Georgie's new vision slowly went away at the same but he had finally found Beverly at this point.

 

 

 

"Beverly!"

 

"Georgie!" The girl ran to him and scooped him up in a big hug. "Thank God you're okay! Where were you? Where's everyone else?" She had so many pressing questions about everything.

 

The boy pointed in one direction where the flood lights were located. "Stan and Richie are at the entrance. That's where we all need to get to." He pointed the other way. "Bill is getting Eddie."

 

Beverly nodded and thought about if they should go for Bill and Eddie or go to the entrance. "Do they know to get back to the entrance?"

 

"I think so."

 

"Okay, then let's meet them there for now." Beverly turned to leave but abruptly stopped when she saw the ground was now littered with snakes. She turned to carry Georgie the other way but snakes surrounded that path as well. Beverly instantly became tense and uneasy from all the snakes. Georgie was more curious than afraid as he watched the snakes tangle and make little hissing noises. Beverly was definitely afraid but she tried to cautiously step in open spots to avoid any of the snakes. Unfortunately, a couple of the snakes only cared to attack. They lunged at Beverly's legs, biting to kill. She yelped and dropped the boy as she fell. Georgie grunted but wasn't hurt too much. The snakes padded his fall. A few were startled but most were annoyed at the child. None of them seemed to care to harm the boy, they only cared to kill the girl. Georgie sat up and looked at particular snake that chose to slither over one leg and under the other. He blinked, recognizing the snake even though it was identical to the normal ones. He grabbed It with both hands and pulled him out of the tangle of others as he climbed to his feet.

"Hey!"

 

Beverly was getting bitten multiple times but she tried kicking them off. She looked over at the boy who picked up one. "Georgie, don't touch that!" 

 

The boy didn't feel the need to take her warning. He wasn't scared of the snake. It turned out to be considerably larger than the others but the fact Georgie was holding part of him in his hands made the boy think he could face him. The head of the snake turned back to the child, locking eyes with him.

"Stop." Georgie said it as if it was really just that easy. 

 

"Georgie, I don't think talking to snakes are going to help!" Beverly was starting to feel her muscles tighten. "Come here," she said breathlessly, reaching for the boy. 

 

The snake smirked, lazily slinking its body around the boy's arms. Instead of being frustrated by the child's lack of fear, Pennywise changed into something that _would_ frighten him. The snake suddenly morphed into a giant centipede. This new form only had to visible for a second to make Georgie shriek as loud as possible and flail to get It off. The boy bolted in whatever direction he was facing to get away. He changed his mind; he couldn’t face Pennywise.

 

"Georgie! Wait!" Beverly winced when she tried to go after him. Pain and numbness was spreading throughout her body. She breathed painfully as she turned to somehow make it towards the flood lights. Firemen and police had started moving in by this time. Someone spotted Beverly and ran towards her.

"...Help..." She wasn't able to make the cry audible as her environment blurred and was in a falling motion. She didn't realize she was the one falling. 

 

 

The boy turned around when he realized he was leaving Beverly behind but Pennywise had followed him. He shifted into a large wolf-looking creature to encourage the child to keep running for his life. Pennywise laughed. He wanted Georgie alone so he could grow his fear to the point of being able to alter his entire environment.

 

"Bill!" Georgie tried to switch his vision but realized the gift was gone. He was completely disconnected from Bill. He didn't know where he was or if he was okay and he couldn't call for help. 

 

 

 

Bill's pain finally subsided enough for him to open his eyes and lift his head. There was still a lingering headache but it wasn't enough to immobilize him. He didn't seem to remember why he was there. The only thing to come to his mind was his brother. 

"G-Georgie?" He asked. He waited a couple seconds for a response before he started running to search for him. He picked up a broken piece of a gold pole from the carousel to have as a weapon. 

Henry saw the teen run off and he decided to follow but keep his distance. He figured he would eventually lead him to Georgie.

 

 

 

Georgie's fear continued to grow and Pennywise was able to switch the environment like a projector. He was running down a road that was lit by orange street lamps. All the houses had their lights out, telling any unfortunate soul to not attempt their doorstep; no one was home. Georgie was running towards a small park. He cut through the parking lot, passing a pink coat that had been abandoned in a struggle. There was a chain-link fence that protected the playground.

 

"Bill!"

 

On the other side of the fence safely stood what appeared to be Bill. The child ran up to him and tried to catch his breath.

"Bill?" Something was off about the teen. Even though he appeared physically there, he was absent as if he wasn't there at all. He met eyes with the child and they locked fingers through the links in the fence. Georgie realized it wasn't Bill. It was only a distraction. His feet were taken out from under him and playfully tugged by the clown. Georgie screamed and yelled for the real Bill, gripping the fence as tight as he could. 

"Billy!!"

 

 

 

The teen heard his brother's scream and followed the direction it came from.

"Geor-"

He was suddenly run over by a tree. Bill grunted and slowly got up. The entire area was changing rapidly, no longer being the straight shot Bill needed in order to get to his brother on him. Trees popped up out of nowhere. Vines and thorns tugged Bill back. Everything was trying to prevent Bill from moving forward but he shoved through. 

 

 

The clown dropped the child, letting his knees fall into the dirt. He allowed him a chance to pull himself up and find the door to the fence, sliding through to get away. Going inside the fence only meant the clown now had him in a closed area but Georgie didn't think that through. Pennywise slowly walked after him, chuckling. The boy ran all the way to the other side of the fence, whining when he found out there wasn't another door on the opposite side. 

He turned to face the clown who grabbed him. He was crying.

"I wanna go home!" He cried desperately. 

 

Pennywise smirked. "You're never going home, Georgie." He grabbed his face and forced him to look up at him. " _You_ _lose_!" It opened his mouth but instead of a tongue, a snake slithered out.

 

Georgie wasn't really scared of the snake before but now that he saw one come out of Pennywise's mouth, it creeped him out. The snake wrapped around the boy's neck and flicked his tongue on his face, making him whine. The snake then opened its mouth, revealing long needles instead of fangs. Pennywise was holding the child's eyes open as the snake got ready to lunge. 

 

"HEY!!" 

 

The clown looked over to see the interrupter was Bill.

 

"L-Let go of him be-before I sm-smack you into n-next week." 

 

Pennywise was amused. He chuckled and slowly retracted the snake back in his mouth before releasing the boy. "Oh?" He asked, walking to him. "You're just as scared."

 

Bill was stern, not showing any weakness. Georgie was worried but saw how much Bill was willing to risk just to protect him. He couldn't let him get killed. Georgie felt responsible for this horrible night so he needed to be the one to do something. He took a deep breath and whispered encouragement to himself.

"...just be scarier than what scares you..." He repeated this a few times before he hurried over to Pennywise, tapping to get his attention.

 

The clown looked down at the child.

"Rawr!" Georgie raised his arms and his voice to make himself seem bigger, curling his fingers as if they were claws. 

 

Pennywise blinked, confused on what the boy wished to accomplish. Before he could do anything else, Bill stabbed the clown's head with as much force as he could gather. Pennywise was completely thrown off guard and the false environment he made started to fade out of existence.

 

"Fl-Flood lights!" Bill called, yanking the pole out of the clown's head. Georgie followed Bill's order and ran towards the lights. The teen ran a different way, needing to get one last thing he left at the carousel. 

 

The clown stood there, completely dumbfounded by what they attempted to pull off. Georgie may have had the fear factor of a dandelion but he was good at one thing; being a distraction. The clown was more amused than pissed. He laughed, letting the boy's run away.

"Such _idiots_..." He hissed, watching Georgie. He shook his head and morphed into a cross fox, padding off into the darkness. 

 

 

 

Georgie ran as fast as he could toward the flood lights, not daring to check behind him. He was so terrified that Pennywise would catch him last minute.

Henry had bided his time in the dark and it paid off when he saw Georgie running. He quickly crossed his path and tackled him down. The boy cried out in pain from being slammed into the ground beneath the teen's weight. He was startled and immediately tried to get away. Georgie first thought it was Pennywise but he wasn't sure if he was relieved or more frightened to find it was just Henry.

"Get off!" He was barely able to shout.

 

The teen kept him pinned to the mud and laughed at him.

"Where's your hero now, little bunny?" 

He still laughed, giddy from finally catching him. "You really made me work for it..."

 

Georgie didn't stop squirming around until he finally got an arm free to grab at a nearby booth. The teen smirked as he let him grab at the ground. Georgie's arms were too short to reach the counter of the booth. Henry didn't find what clawing at the ground would do for the boy so he let him squirm without getting free as much as he wanted. The child practically lost his voice from fighting his way out.

"Just let this happen, kid." The bully pushed down on his back but then Georgie grabbed a handful of the mud he clawed up and tossed it back at him. Henry flinched and sent a sharp pain in Georgie's back by pinning twice as hard in retaliation. "Just for that, I'm gonna f-"

 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

 

Henry felt a wave of defeat overcome him as he looked up to find his father. Georgie was able to wriggle away and hide behind the nearby booth. The bully didn't have a chance to prevent the boy from leaving.

 

"I asked you a question." Oscar spoke sternly. Georgie recognized the tone as one Zack would use. Only occasionally would Bill use it. He always registered it as a dad tone. 

 

Henry looked pissed and he stared angrily at the booth the child crawled under. 

"...I was just-"

 

"You were just leaving," he finished for him. "Get out of here before you get your ass in more trouble." 

 

Henry didn't fight with him. He silently got up and ran off. His father sighed heavily then walked over to the booth, looking behind it to find the terrified and confused child.

"Come here..." 

 

Georgie didn't move to get any closer but he also didn't move away when Oscar reached in to pull him out. The boy was quiet as he was carried back with the man. He had a mixed feeling for the officer now. He couldn't understand why he let Henry go. Especially since he was trying to hurt him. He started to think about how Bill had never trusted Oscar. He wondered why that was. He also wondered who else he shouldn’t trust.

 

Stan met them when they got back to the flood lights. He took Georgie from the officer's arms. 

"Where's Bill?" 

 

"I didn't see him." Oscar said before walking over to the other officers. 

 

Georgie stayed quiet in thought and waited with Stan for Bill. 

A paramedic approached them in attempt to take the boy for an examination but Georgie rejected the professional. Stan frowned.

"It's okay, Georgie," he whispered. 

 

The woman gave him a reassuring smile.

"You're pretty beaten up. I need to make sure everything's okay. Will you let me check you, please?"

 

"No!" He shook his head. "I want Bill..."

 

The woman looked at Stan for clarification. The teen gave a half smile as he shifted Georgie on his hip.

"Bill is his brother. Could we just wait for him to come back?"

 

The woman frowned. "I really need to check him now. Anything that can be potentially traumatizing needs to be addressed immediately." 

 

"I understand..."

 

She looked at the boy. "It's not going to take long, I promise. I'm going to ask you a few simple questions and see where you're hurting, okay?"

 

Georgie's eyes were huge from fear of unknown. He didn't know this woman. He didn't want to trust anyone. All he wanted was Bill. 

 

"I'm going to check your pulse real quick, okay?"

 

Just as the lady reached for him, he flipped out.

"No!! Don't touch me!" Georgie raised his voice much louder and attracted the attention of others nearby. He squirmed violently to get out of Stan's arms. "I want Bill!"

 

The teen struggled to hold the boy and tried to calm him down. 

"Okay, okay, okay!" He whispered, getting a better hold on him. He looked at the paramedic. "Can we please wait for Bill to get here?"

 

"10 minutes while we get another ambulance arriving. Once it's here, we're going to the hospital." She waited for a confirmation nod from Stan before she walked off. 

 

The teen sighed and gently rubbed Georgie's back while they waited. The boy was starting to get worried but his brother finally showed up. He was carrying something special that made the boy light up.

"Kyle!"

 

"Well, look at that." Stan chuckled. "One point for Bill. You're all caught up now." He smiled and set Georgie down as the boy grabbed the stuffed seahorse from his brother.

 

"I'm so glad you're safe!"

 

Bill smiled weakly at the child. "Th-Thank you..."

 

"I was talking to Kyle," he said bluntly, squeezing the toy in a hug.

 

"Aaand just like that, Kyle pulls back in the lead." Stan smirked. 

 

Bill sighed with a tiny smile and grabbed his brother's hand. Stan watched his smile fade into a blank, pained stare.

 

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly. He was surprised Bill had the energy to stand from how bad he looked. He thought the same for Georgie. Stan supposed he got off lucky this time. He was barely scathed. 

He expected Bill to say he was fine but this time was different.

 

The other teen shook his head. He was far from okay. He was a thread away from losing his grasp on everything. This night was too much. Bill tried everything and Pennywise was still alive. There was no way It was just going to let them walk away. This was far from over. 

 

Stan placed a tender hand on Bill's shoulder. He was going to lead him to a paramedic to check on him and Georgie but quickly got distracted by the firemen who were struggling to get the fire out. More fire trucks arrived to try to help. He looked at Oscar talking to another officer.

 

"We've found two kids dead in the sewer. That's four in total." 

 

Oscar didn't say much in response. 

 

Stan's heart sunk when he wondered if one of them was Eddie. He was the only one that hadn't come back yet. The teen was about to go over to the officer to ask but someone stopped him. 

 

"Where's the kid?"

 

Stan looked back to see the paramedic had returned for Georgie.

"Oh-" Stan froze when he realized Bill and Georgie were gone. "He's... gone...?"

 

"What do you mean he's gone? Where did he go?" The paramedic was stern.

 

Oscar looked over and walked to them. "What's going on over here?"

 

"Bill and Georgie left," Stan said. He couldn't believe he had missed them but he was more astonished by the fact they left in the first place. "I don't know where they went but surely they couldn't have gotten far..."

 

The officer grunted before he walked off to find them. 

 

 

Bill convinced himself they weren't safe and swiftly took Georgie while Stan was watching the fire. He had to get away. Whispers in Bill's head encouraged him to run. The teen held Georgie's hand tightly as he weaved through people to get away. When they were shrouded in the dark, he started running despite the boy's whines of protest. He kept running along the road and didn't stop until Georgie practically fell to the ground.

 

"Billy..." He whined loudly, being tugged along by his brother. "Where are we going?"

 

"C-California," Bill mumbled. He was constantly checking around them. Sometimes he thought he saw shapes in the dark.

 

"Why? What's there?"

 

"Fr-Freedom."

 

The boy didn't really understand. "How far away is it?"

 

"I d-don't know."

 

"Are we going the right way?"

 

The teen didn't answer. He didn't know if they were going in the right direction. All he knew was he needed to get them away from where they were. 

 

"Billy..."

 

"We-We'll get there s-s-soon, Georgie." He was starting to get frustrated by all the child's questions.

 

"I'm tired..." He whined. "And hungry..."

 

Bill sighed and looked around. They weren't near any stores or restaurants. It was just empty road ahead. There weren't even any houses. Either way, it was very late. The teen didn't think any places would be open now. Georgie gradually walked slower until he stopped. 

 

"Billy... I wanna go home..." He looked like he could collapse at any second, loosening his hold on Kyle. 

 

The teen sighed again and hoisted the boy up. He awkwardly had to shift him on his hip. It would have been easier if Bill would let go of the piece of pole but that was his weapon. He felt safer with a weapon. Once Georgie got settled in his arms he laid his head in his brother's neck. His arms were wrapped around his neck and securely holding on to Kyle. It didn't take long for Georgie's eyes to fall closed. He hadn't had a chance to rest the entire night. It seemed that the boy fell asleep only seconds later. Bill continued to walk down the lonely road. 

 

Headlights eventually illuminated the runaways, making the teen grip his brother protectively. 

Officer Bowers drove next to them slowly and lowered his window.

"Where are you headed, Bill?"

 

"F-Fuck off!"

 

"Let me take you home. Your parents are worried about you."

 

"Wr-Wrong f-family." Bill continued walking. 

 

"Get in, Bill. You're in no condition to be going anywhere."

 

"I'm n-n-not g-going with you," he hissed.

 

The officer sighed then noticed the blunt metal object he was carrying. It was obvious that Bill wasn't mentally stable at the moment. The fact he was carrying a child and a weapon made Oscar very nervous. He stopped the car and got out.

"Bill, wait a minute. Just listen to me."

 

The teen glared at him, his eyes distrusting. "D-Don't c-come near me!"

 

Oscar complied by stopping. "It's been a long night. You're hurt, Georgie's hurt. Let me take you down to the hospital."

 

"No!" Bill was getting even more agitated by the annoying static and whispering that picked up.

 

"You need it, Bill. Georgie needs it."

 

"We-We've never b-been better!"

 

"You look like a velociraptor went at you."

 

"..."

 

Oscar was about to say something else but the teen started first.

 

"P-Pennywise..."

 

"What?"

 

"The cl-clown!" Bill was breathing heavily. "He did th-this! H-He's going to k-kill us!!"

 

Oscar needed to get the teen calmed down. "I won't let that happen. You can trust me."

 

"B-Bullshit!"

 

He took a step closer, making the teen become even more defensive.

 

"I s-s-said don't get cl-closer!"

 

Oscar had enough. He stood his ground and extended out a hand. "Give me the weapon, Bill." The last thing he needed was him to snap and harm the child. 

 

"No!"

 

"If you want to be a big shot, fine. But you can't have both. Either hand me the weapon or hand me Georgie. Which one is more important to you?" 

 

Bill's eyes traveled down to the boy in his arms. He weighed his options. He wondered if he could hand over Georgie and then beat Oscar to death. He wasn't sure if he could be quick enough. The child huffed in his sleep against Bill's neck, distracting his tortured, foreign thoughts. He stared at him. Bill didn't want Georgie to get hurt in the process. He didn't know why the thought even crossed his mind.

 

Oscar watched him carefully, seeing the teen seem to regain his right mind back as he handed over the pole. Bill looked scared and desperate for sanctuary.

"Everything is going to be alright. I'm going to take you to the hospital."

 

The teen shook his head weakly. "No... I j-j-just want to g-go home..."

 

"You need medical attention. You _and_ Georgie."

 

"I kn-know, I just... I need sl-sleep. I'll go t-t-tomorrow."

 

Oscar got him this far so decided to make the compromise.

"Okay. I'll take you boys home... Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital first?"

 

"I'm shh-sure..."

 

The officer nodded and waited for the teen to slowly walk towards him and get in the car. Conversation ceased as they headed back to Derry. Oscar checked on the boys often in the rear-view mirror. Georgie was still fast asleep, clinging to his toy. Bill, on the other hand, looked exhausted like he could easily pass out on the drive home.

The teen refused to allow the motion of the car to lure him into an early sleep. He probably should have gone to sleep because the etching whispers returned.

Oscar checked on him again to find the teen holding his head in pain. He was going back to a panicked, irrational state. The officer wasn't sure what was going on but it was obvious that something was influencing the teen's mind.

 

They soon arrived at the boys' home. The lights were all out. No one had waited up. That didn't sit very well with Oscar but there wasn't anything he could do about it. He let the boys out, finding the teen to be just as unstable as before. Bill over-protectively took his brother in his arms as he headed to the front door. Against Oscar's better judgment, he allowed the teen to go inside his house. He didn't have a good feeling about it. It took him a while to leave their driveway. He had a serious bad feeling about leaving them. 

 

Bill stumbled up the stairs and into his room, shutting the door and locking it behind him. He was exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to just fall on his bed and sleep forever. Unfortunately, they were thoroughly soaked from being in the rain all night. He gently placed Georgie on the bed before he undressed him, discarding the wet clothes and changing them out for dry ones. His head was hurting too much to think to go across the hallway to the boy's room to get his clothes so he just dressed Georgie in one of his shirts. The teen quickly changed his own clothes so he could finally flop on the bed. He closed his eyes and tried his best to focus on nothing until he drifted off to sleep. 

 


	29. Hate Me

Bill opened his eyes slowly from the sound of a knock on the front door. It was a short knock that sounded so clear as if it was on the teen’s bedroom door. It wasn’t a harsh, panicked knock that required attention immediately. It was a quiet, calm, two knocks. The teen looked around with his eyes. It was morning but just barely. The sun was slowly breaking through. Bill sighed deeply, momentarily forgetting the knock. He felt as if he didn’t sleep at all. A part of him wondered if he ever slept at all or if he simply lied down and forgot.

He looked over at the boy who slept restfully next to him, arms wrapped around the stuffed seahorse. Georgie’s eyelids shifted occasionally in his sleep. For the first time in a while, he was dreaming. It was probably something pleasant. The boy looked completely at ease as he drooled over Kyle.

Bill slowly sat up to watch his brother sleep. He wondered if while one of them was dreaming then the other one couldn’t. That probably wasn’t true but it was a wishful thought. The teen went to stroke Georgie’s hair when a sharp pain stopped him. He winced from the sudden pain in his head as a faint whisper entered his thoughts. He leaned his head down in his lap until the pain subsided. The whisper stayed present, prompting him to follow through with a horrible plan.

 

The teen slowly looked at his brother again. He zeroed in on the boy’s breathing. Bill felt nothing as the whisper multiplied, pushing thoughts and urges to suffocate Georgie. A flash of a vivid premonition obscured his vision. The vision was of him pinning a pillow on the child’s face until his violent squirms finally stopped. The teen whined as he snapped out of the painful trance and blinked until his vision was normal. He held his hands on his temples, breathing deeply and slowly. He didn’t want to kill Georgie. The vision and the whispers were wrong. _It_ was wrong. He just needed to stay calm but he felt he was losing.

Bill was about to wake Georgie up for help when he heard a floorboard creak. He quickly turned his head to catch a glimpse of something red go by the open door. Bill’s heart rate grew with panic as he stared at the door. He had locked it. There was no way it should be wide open. The teen cautiously went to the door, having full intent to close and lock it once more. When he got to the door, he made the mistake of looking down the hall first. There was a bright, red balloon contrasting the dark house. It waited patiently for the teen to follow. The whispers conditioned Bill until he felt nothing except the inexplainable urge to follow the balloon. He slowly stepped into the hall, allowing it to guide him down the stairs. When he reached the bottom step, he no longer saw the balloon but he remembered hearing the knock on the door earlier. He padded through the kitchen to get to the front door, opening it to find the balloon was outside tied to a gift on the welcome mat. It was a long, white box tied with a thick, red ribbon. Bill picked up the box and pulled the ribbon loose before popping the top off. Inside the box was an axe.

 

Georgie was fast asleep until a loud crash jerked him awake. The sound was quickly followed by more crashes. Georgie looked to discover his brother was no longer beside him.

“Billy…?”

The child hopped off the bed and hurried downstairs where he found Bill destroying everything. The teen swung the axe into anything in reach, trying to kill the pain; the demon that had been breaking him down.

 

“Bill! Bill!”

 

The teen didn’t listen to his brother. Everything was just shapes, mocking him, laughing at him. In addition to the annoying whispers, Pennywise’s laugh was present in his mind. This only angered Bill more. The TV suddenly switched on to static. Within the white noise was Pennywise, laughing at Bill.

“You’re losing it, Billy~”

 

The teen hissed at the clown and smashed the TV with the axe.

“G-Go away!!”

 

“Bill! Bill, it’s okay!”

Georgie was about to call for his brother again to try to pull him out of his panicked trance. He needed to calm him down before things got worse. Just as he took a step, a pair of hands rested on Georgie’s shoulders to prevent him from attempting to go to the teen. The boy looked up to see who was stopping him.

Bill also looked over to see the clown was standing behind Georgie with his hands on his shoulders. Bill’s vision went red and he yanked the axe out of the TV.

"D-Don't touch him!!" He lunged for the clown.

 

“Bill!!” Georgie yelped and quickly bolted out the hands’ grasp to get out of the way of his brother.

The teen used all his might to swing the axe in the clown’s head. He hit him between the eyes, successfully killing him. The body fell back with a thud; lifeless.

Bill huffed, breathing heavily as he pressed his foot on the body to jerk out the axe.

 

“Congratulations, Billy!” Georgie said with an excited clasp of his hands. “You did it!”

 

Bill slowly looked at the child, his eyes still wild with mistrust and fear. He narrowed his eyes at him. He didn’t trust him. The teen slowly approached him. The whispers in his head gradually grew louder as he got closer.

 

The boy’s smile left him as he saw how crazy Bill’s eyes looked.

“Billy? What are you doing?” He backed up to the wall to get away from him. Bill looked unforgiving and determined to kill as he lifted his axe. The child’s eyes suddenly turned black as he screeched something inhuman. The whispers shifted into similar demonic screams. Just before Bill could end the creature, a new scream made him pause. It was a woman’s scream.

Bill blinked out of his trance and turned to find the source of the sound was his hysterical mother. He glanced down to what she was crying over. The teen’s eyes widened once it registered to him who it was; Zack. He was the one that he axed. He quickly looked in front of him to no longer see the demon in his brother’s form but his actual brother; terrified and huddled in his knees on the floor, braced for his inevitable fate. Bill dropped the axe in horror as he came to the realization of everything. Pennywise had tricked him. Tears streamed down his face as he dropped to his knees, pulling Georgie in his arms. The boy yelped a little and jerked, crying. He was terrified and couldn’t process witnessing Bill kill their dad and was about to kill him. He tried to pull away but the teen refused to let him free. Bill clung the child to him and slightly rocked back and forth.

“I’m-I’m s-s-sorry… I-I’m s-so sorry…”

 

Georgie was rattled, trembling with fear and disbelief. His eyes looked up at the clown looming over them. All this was Pennywise’s fault. It had to be. 

“Bill…” Georgie whispered in a shaky voice, trying to get his brother’s attention on the clown’s presence. He spoke a little louder with each attempt. “…Bill.”

 

Pennywise smirked with amusement at how shaken up and distraught the brothers were. “How does it feel to be a murderer, Billy?” He chuckled at their expense. “You really screwed up this time. Everything you do is always wrong.”

 

Georgie was still calling his name but he went unheard. Bill was only listening to Pennywise and he was pissed. He gripped Georgie tighter. “SHUT UP!”

 

The boy jumped from the teen’s sudden shout and he started to cry louder. Pennywise laughed at them. Bill dragged Georgie over to a corner to get away from the clown as he stepped closer.

 

“Bill…” The boy hiccupped from crying. “Billy, let go…” Georgie begged for his brother to release him. He was holding him too tight. Bill refused, keeping his grasp firm. He was growing panicked with each step the clown took towards them.

Pennywise snickered at how unraveled Bill has become. He had finally broken him. Now he only needed to finish breaking Georgie.

The teen was frantically trying to come up with a plan and to find a way out as police sirens grew close. His mind was too scrambled to be able to think clearly. Pennywise hummed happily, leaning on his heels as he looked out the window. The clown glanced down at Georgie whose eyes had been glued to him, wide with fear, wondering what he’d try next.

“You may want to kiss him. It might be your last.”

 

Georgie blinked. He didn’t know why he would believe anything from Pennywise but he wasn’t going to chance it; as much as he was terrified, he trusted him. He experienced Pennywise’s “bad side”. He didn’t want to go through that again. It didn’t appear to be in an angry mood so Georgie wanted to keep it that way. The possibility of losing his brother was the scariest thing in this moment because he felt it was going to happen. The boy probably would have done anything the clown asked if it meant he could keep Bill longer.

He leaned up to press a fleeting kiss to his cheek but the teen turned his head, confused and startled on why Georgie was getting closer to his face. The boy still made contact so it counted. It was just an awkward kiss on the corner of Bill’s mouth. The siblings stared at each other with a similar look of confusion and embarrassment.

Pennywise snorted with laughter at the immense amount of awkwardness between the two. Georgie was the first to break eye contact, wondering why he just did that and regretting everything as his cheeks lit up from the clown’s laughter and his brother’s questioning look.

“Way to go, whore,” The clown snickered. “You missed!”

 

Georgie didn’t respond or look at Pennywise. He expected a return kiss from Bill. Maybe not one as disastrous as his but at least a little one on his forehead or something. But he didn’t get one. The child’s embarrassment shifted to assuming he must have truly messed up to not have his affection reciprocated. Pennywise only laughed louder at his rejection.

The truth was the opposite. Bill was the least concerned about the kiss. He didn't notice his brother wanted some sort of response. He wasn't even paying Pennywise any attention. He was more focused on the people coming in their house. The teen finally looked down at Georgie when he felt a tug on his shirt.

 

“I love you…” The boy whispered so faintly.

 

Bill shook his head. “H-H-Hate me,” he whispered back. He was guilty and didn’t see there could be any way for him to make up for what he’s done.

That only made more tears stream from Georgie. He didn’t want Bill to feel responsible for what Pennywise made him do. He didn’t want Bill to feel the heavy weight that Georgie felt. “It’s not your fault…”

 

 

Oscar had the worst sinking feeling when the call came in to report to the Denbrough residence. He immediately thought about how he shouldn’t have left the boys there. Officer Bowers was the first to go inside the home, followed by others. Sharon was waiting in the kitchen, an absolute mess. He tried to get her to explain what happened but she was too frantic. Another officer stayed with her while Oscar headed further in the house. He stopped short when he saw Zack dead on the floor. It wasn’t what he was expecting to find at all. His eyes shifted diagonally to find the two boys huddled in the corner. Oscar pieced things together by their expressions. They were both devastated and scared but the teen had a deeper look of shame and remorse while the boy had an expression that told he didn’t fully understand what was happening around him. He sighed softly and walked over to them.

Bill tightened his grip on his brother, not prepared to be separated. The boy winced from the tighter hold. He was still sore from everything he had been through.

 

“Come on.” The officer said, referring to the teen to get up.

 

“I d-didn’t mean to…” He mumbled shakily.

 

“I know…” Oscar offered out his hand. He saw the teen look at his brother, wanting to keep him. He saw how panicked he was and how desperate he was to find a way out. “Leave him,” he ordered. “He’ll be okay.” It wouldn’t take much for Bill to mentally break and snap the boy’s neck then find a way to kill himself in order to escape. The officer needed them separated.

 

The teen didn’t have much of a choice but to release Georgie as he got up. The thought of giving him one last kiss came to his mind but he didn’t act on it. He didn’t want to believe that would be their last time together. Oscar look him by the arm and guided him out.

 

Georgie stayed on the floor, watching his brother be taken away from him. He looked up when the clown chuckled.

 

“You’re right about it not being Bill’s fault. It’s _yours_.” It grinned widely.

 

The boy gasped a bit. “No, it’s not!”

 

“You could have stopped him!”

 

“No, I couldn’t!”

 

The clown laughed. “Fool! He would have listened to you. You could have pulled him out of that. But you _didn’t_. You’re the real murderer here.”

 

“I’m not…” Georgie wiped some of his many tears but it only blurred his vision.

 

“You _wanted_ your dad dead. That’s why you didn’t stop him.”

 

“No…” The realization that he no longer had the male figures in his life were starting to set in. It frightened him. What was he going to do without them? “…What’s going to happen?” He finally asked between a hiccup.

 

Pennywise hummed as he debated on answering the child or just leaving him hanging. “Bill’s going to be taken away for a long time.”

 

Georgie didn’t like what he heard. He didn’t understand. “…Am I ever going to see him again?”

 

The clown shrugged with disinterest. He was bored with the topic of Bill.

 

“Tell me!” Georgie cried more, only winning a laugh out of Pennywise.

 

“Do you _really_ want him back?” The clown asked playfully.

 

“Yes!”

 

It offered out his hand in which the boy reached for. When their hands touched, Georgie felt a sharp pain in his palm.

“Ow!” He tried to pull away but the clown kept a firm grip. The death count on his palm was removed but quickly replaced with a new number. When he received his hand back, he looked at his palm.

 

_23:17_

 

Georgie stared at his hand. The numbers oddly felt familiar but he had no clue what they meant. He looked to the clown for an explanation.

“What do these numbers mean?”

 

Pennywise smirked. “Careful what you wish for, little one.”

 

He was still confused as he kept looking at the numbers. What did they have to do with Bill? Was it a time? Or a verse? The boy sniffled and looked up as the clown turned to leave.

“Wait! Where are you going?”

 

“I’m bored with you. Bye.” He said it so nonchalantly that it instilled panic in the child.

 

“You can’t just leave!”

 

Pennywise grinned and turned back around to face him. “Oh? And why is that?”

 

“Who’s going to protect me if you leave?” The thought of being alone scared the child. “Henry’s still alive! And… And I don’t have anyone!”

 

“Hmmm...” Pennywise pretended to give it some thought as he brought a hand up to his chin. He quickly came to a conclusion. “Sucks to be you!”

 

Georgie’s mouth dropped. “B-But I did everything you said!”

 

“Mm, you also disobeyed me. And I don’t really like you.”

 

“I lost everything…”

 

He chuckled. “Try to find happiness now,” he whispered maliciously.

 

The boy’s eyes swelled up and he cried. He couldn’t even attempt to fight back the tears. He wanted his brother. He wanted his dad. He wanted someone to hug him and tell him it was going to be okay. He didn’t want to be alone. “Please stay,” he begged between hiccups.

 

“Would you like to hold my hand?” Pennywise asked, shifting to a disarming, sweet tone while offering his hand.

 

Georgie nodded, reaching up to grab it. Before he could make contact, the clown swiftly moved his hand away.

“Too slow!”

 

Georgie cried louder with frustration and the clown simply laughed at him. Pennywise was about to leave but he turned back to the child drowning in his own tears. Georgie had curled in himself as he cried. He watched him, debating with himself on what he was going to do. Pennywise was displeased to find the child was more annoying crying than when he was laughing. But it was rewarding to see the once so-happy child be so broken to pieces.

 

The boy felt something be plopped on him and when he looked it was Kyle. He desperately clung to the stuffed toy, it hugging him back with the comfort he needed. Pennywise stood over the child until Officer Bowers came back in to retrieve Georgie.

 

The man blinked. He didn’t remember the child having his toy with him when he left with Bill but he supposed it didn’t matter. He leaned down to scoop up the boy. Georgie flinched but he was picked up anyways.

“You’re okay,” Oscar promised. The boy continued to cry loudly as he abandoned Kyle to cling to someone real. The officer sighed, wondering what he was going to do with him. Sharon was too panicked herself and had to be taken to the hospital. Oscar couldn’t babysit. He needed the boy to be checked by nurses but he wasn’t going to make him go alone. Bill was currently being transported to the hospital to have his wounds examined before he’s taken to a holding cell. Oscar didn’t want the brothers to be together. He sighed loudly again. He finally decided who he would call.

 

 

Stan made his way down the sidewalk with a yawn. He wasn’t sure he slept at all that night. He watched his surviving friends be taken to the hospital. The teen had no reason to go himself so he was escorted home by an officer. Stan had been concerned about Bill over the night since he disappeared on him. Getting a phone call from Officer Bowers to come over to the Denbrough’s definitely didn’t make him feel at ease.

 

The teen’s heart paused when he saw all the police cars. Red and blue lights colored the dull, foggy morning. Yellow 'do not cross' tape barricaded the home and yard, preventing anyone who wasn't police to enter. Neighbors stared from afar but wouldn’t dare to come closer to find out what was happening. Stan picked up his pace and met Officer Bowers on the sidewalk. Georgie was in his arms.

 

Georgie… He looked as if he was chewed up and spit back out. He was lying motionlessly against the officer’s shoulder. The child looked too emotionally wrecked to be able to stand on his own. His bruises and cuts looked twice as vibrant in morning light than they had looked beneath the moonlight. His cheeks were reddened, bringing more attention to his freckles. The red faded down his neck and matched his bloodshot eyes; a clear sign he had been crying his heart out. Now, there were no tears left as the child was left with no choice but to emotionally shut down in order to survive.

 

“What’s going on?” Stan asked as he walked up to them. He looked around for Bill but didn’t see him.

 

The officer passed the child over to Stan’s arms. He may as well have passed a ragdoll to the teen.

“I’m going to need you to keep him until things are settled here. He needs to be taken to the hospital to be looked at. He doesn’t have to be checked in, he just needs to be looked at.”

 

"Why? I mean, of course I will. But... what's happened? Where’s Bill?" Stan was confused but more concerned for Georgie than anything else.

 

Oscar didn't have much intention on informing the teen. Things were still too early to be sure. He was going to tell him to not worry about it but the child finally spoke in a broken voice. 

"Bill killed dad..." His voice sounded just as depressed as he looked. He blamed himself for everything. 

 

"What?!" Stan looked at the officer for confirmation. He prayed he misheard the child.

Oscar sighed, now having to explain the situation.

 

"It appears so. We're still investigating... but Bill has been arrested and Sharon has been taken to the hospital for a panic attack. That's why I need you need to watch Georgie until things are cleaned up here."

 

Stan listened as he watched the officer then looked over at the house. It all felt so unreal. The teen wouldn't have believed any of it if it hadn't been for Georgie's lifeless demeanor. Just before the officer walked away, he stepped towards him. 

"He's not a murderer." He spoke quickly before the man turned away from him. 

 

Oscar looked at him with a raised eyebrow, needing him to explain. 

 

"Bill... he's not a murderer." Stan had known Bill for a long time. Killing wasn’t his nature.

 

"He _killed_ his father."

 

"His dad abused him _and_ Georgie.  And probably their mom, too!" Stan heard the boy resting on his shoulder sniff back tears.

"They've been going through Hell. If anything, it's got to be for self-defense."

 

Oscar sighed and started to talk again but the child’s tiny voice interrupted him.

 

“…It’s Pennywise’s fault…”

 

That name was something Stan and the officer recognized. Oscar tilted his head at the teen. “You know about this clown, too?”

 

Stan nodded. “That disaster last night was all because of that clown. I don’t know what It is but it’s been harassing Georgie and Bill. I’m sure it had a role in this, too.” He nodded towards the house.

 

Oscar made a mental note of everything.

“Alright, well… We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, you’re in charge of Georgie. Get him checked out and keep him with you until Sharon feels better.”

 

The teen nodded then carried the boy off. Georgie watched silently at the window of his house. Pennywise stood in the window, waving at him from the inside. The child wished he knew some sort of gesture to give back to the clown to show he was more than displeased with him. Unfortunately, he didn’t know of any so he just ignored the clown and decided to rest against Stan’s shoulder.

 

 

Stan carried Georgie straight to the front desk when they walked into the hospital. The lady looked up to greet them but before her hello could make it out of her mouth, her smile fell at the sight of Georgie. Stan gave her a weak smile.

“I need to get him checked, please.”

 

“What happened?” Her voice was concerned but overly sweet sounding to not arise any discomfort from the child.

 

Stan didn’t really know how to respond. “Bad night…”

 

Georgie laid sleepily against Stan’s shoulder while he continued to talk to the lady and fill out paperwork. All he was thinking about was Bill. He was still in the clothes he slept in so he tried to focus on his brother’s scent from the clothes. The boy’s eyes looked over when he heard a door open and saw someone walk out. It was Victor. He was carrying discharge papers with him; he was free to go. Georgie leaned up a bit and sheepishly waved at him. The older teen responded with a tiny smile and he lifted his bandaged hand to the boy on his way out of the lobby.

 

“Just have a seat and someone will be out shortly.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Stan sat down with the boy in one of the many chairs. It wasn’t long before a nurse came out to take Georgie but during that time he was close to falling asleep.

“Hi, my name’s Allison. I’m going to be the nurse taking care of you today.” She spoke softly as to not startle the boy awake. “Are you Georgie?”

 

The boy looked up and stared at her without making a sound. He nodded shyly. Stan smirked softly, figuring he was admiring the young nurse. Georgie did have a slight sparkle in his eyes when looking at her. Allison reminded him of Brandy in a way. They were both blonde. That was about the only connecter. But it made him, in turn, think about Lexi. Ultimately, making him feel sad. The nurse was older than Brandy. Allison had dark roots that bled into the rest of the length of her hair. She also had a beauty mark.

 

Stan opted to stay with Georgie as he followed the nurse into a room. Georgie was more occupied with watching the young lady rather than listening to what she was saying. Which was probably good. He would have freaked himself out early if he knew everything that was going to happen. She took his weight, height, temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and also took his blood. The boy picked a spot on her shoulder to stare at so he wouldn’t focus on the slight prick of getting his blood drawn. She continued to have small talk with him; mostly with Stan, since the boy was too shy to come up with words. Now came the hard part.

 

“I’m just going to check your bruises, okay, sweetie?”

 

Georgie only responded by swallowing. He got to sit on Stan’s lap instead of the table which made him feel better during the other things but this was different. The pain wasn’t the reason his eyes began to stream tears but the memories were. He missed Bill. He wanted Bill.

 

“Am I hurting you?” Allison asked, alarmed by the boy’s sudden tears. He shook his head causing the tears to fall faster.

“Aw, sweetie, don’t cry! You’re going to make me cry! I’ll make this quick, I promise!”

 

Stan held Georgie’s hand while she examined and made notes about the marks on the boy’s neck. Next, she wanted him to stand up. He didn’t have to take off his shirt but he had to at least lift it up. Stan watched the nurse’s face as she looked the boy over. She tried to keep her face neutral but Stan could still see she was disconcerted by the deep bruises and the rabbit-shaped burn mark. She was crouched down to be level with Georgie, finishing up her notes on her clipboard. She turned the clipboard on her knees and looked the boy in the eyes.

“You’re going to hate me for this… But I have to check _everything_ … I need you to pull down your pants. I just have to make sure nothing…” She trailed off and glanced up at Stan who nodded in agreement. He understood why it was important. With as many bruises and hickey-looking marks on the boy, she had to check.

 

Georgie looked at Stan as if to see if he really had to do it. The teen rubbed his shoulder. “I’m here. Don’t worry.”

 

The boy turned back the Allison with a scared whine.

 

“Aww, sweetie, I know! I’m sorry!” She waved back the water forming in her eyes. “Please don’t cry anymore. Do you like gum? I have some gum in my purse I can give you. Do you like cinnamon?”

 

Georgie gave a tear-filled nod.

 

“I’ll get you all the gum in the world! Just bear with me a little longer!”

 

 

As promised, Allison handed over her entire packet of cinnamon flavored gum to the boy once the examination was over. Since Georgie was still sniffling, not feeling like chewing gum in the moment, the nurse raided the entire supply of juice boxes to make up for making him upset during the checkup.

 

“Do you want to go see Beverly and Richie?” Stan asked, lifting the boy back in his arms. The boy gave a little hum, drinking apple juice.

 

 

Conveniently, Beverly and Richie shared a room since they were checked in around the same time. It was a large room with Beverly on the closest side to the door and Richie on the opposite side. They were both doing well. About as well as they could be doing. Richie’s leg was patched up and he was given shots for it. Beverly looked drained but overall seemed healthy. She smiled when she saw Stan come in holding Georgie.

“Hey, guys.”

 

Georgie was no longer crying, having went through multiple juice boxes for comfort. He had nothing broken or sprained. Although the nurse was very concerned by all the evidence of physical abuse and mistreatment, she was pleased to report no physical signs of sexual abuse. Allison told Stan if he knew anything about how the boy got abused, his next step should be to take him down to the police station to file a report and take a copy of his checkup records with him.

 

“Beverly!” The boy waited to be set down before he ran over to her bed and crawled in.

The teen grinned, hugging him tightly.

 

Stan smirked a bit, glad to see the boy with a smile. He turned to Richie who was eying one of the extra juice boxes he was holding for Georgie.

“I want one…”

 

Stan handed him a grape juice box then sat in a chair next to him. “So, are they letting you both out today?”

 

Richie nodded, drinking the juice. “Where’s Eddie?”

 

Stan glanced down for a moment. “…He didn’t make it last night…”

 

Everyone was quiet in the room until Beverly spoke. “I heard Bill’s room is down the hall,” she whispered to Georgie, making him light up with excitement and hope.

 

“REALLY?!”

 

She nodded with a smile. “I was awake when they were moving him into a room to wait for his tests. He should still be in there. Want to go on an adventure to find him?”

 

“YES!!” He climbed over her legs to get off the bed.

 

Beverly giggled. “I can’t go with you but you can go.”

 

The boy looked over to Stan as if to get his permission to go alone. The teen nodded. Georgie excitedly ran out of the room. Now that he left, Stan had the opportunity to tell the others what had happened with Bill earlier that morning. It was better that Georgie was absent from the conversation.

 

 

Georgie wandered into the hallway to start his search. He knew Billy had to be somewhere. He skipped off, making a light little game of the situation. He needed to be the one to save his brother from whatever room he was held captive in. He looked up at the people he passed in the halls. Most didn’t pay him any mind but a couple nurses smiled at him. The boy closely read the name tags on the doors as he walked by; hoping to see Bill’s name. For the doors that were open, he curiously looked in as he walked.

Up ahead, a lady popped her head out of a room and spotted Georgie.

“Hey, kid!”

 

The boy blinked and glanced around to see if she was talking to anyone else.

 

“Yes, you! Come here!” She waved him over. “Wait, how old are you? Oh, it doesn’t matter! Just get over here!”

 

Georgie quickly padded over to where he was needed. The lady waited patiently at the door then brought the child in the room. There were two people already in there. A woman standing and a man sitting on the bed. They both looked at the newcomer.

 

“I found someone!” The lady that fetched Georgie moved him further in the room. “I’m Cathy,” she introduced herself. “That’s Lauren and that’s Dale.”

 

Lauren gave a polite but confused smile. Before she could say anything, Dale chimed in.

“He ain’t mine! I told you once, I told you a thousand times, woman; I ain’t got no more kids! Don’t need ‘em, don’t want ‘em. Send him back!”

 

Cathy rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Dale. This ain’t about that.” She turned to Lauren who wanted an explanation on why the child was there. “You said we needed a witness, right? Well, here’s one!”

 

Georgie blinked quietly. He didn’t know what was going on around him but he started to wonder what had he just gotten himself in to.

 

“What’s your name, sweetie?” Lauren asked the boy.

 

“Georgie.”

 

“What’d he say?!” Dale interrupted just as Lauren opened her mouth.

She turned to him.

“He said Georgie.”

 

“What kind of fruity name is that?”

 

Lauren sighed. “I’m sure it’s a nickname for George. Right?” She asked the boy who nodded.

 

“Now why would you go and fruit up a name like George?” Dale patted the spot next to him. “Boy, come here. You may not be mine but I guess I can teach you some valuable life lessons.”

 

“He doesn’t need any life lessons from you, Dale!” Cathy placed her hands on her hips.

 

“Hush up, woman! I know what I’m talking about! Get over here, Phillip!”

 

Georgie blinked with confusion but went over to the man.

 

“How old are you, Daniel?”

 

“Um.” The boy wasn’t sure why he kept calling him different names. “Seven.”

 

“Seven, huh? Back when I was your age I robbed three supermarkets.” He held up three fingers.

 

“He said _seven_! Not _seventeen_!” Cathy corrected. “You’re getting yourself confused again, Dale.”

 

“Will you be quiet?! I was talkin’!” He looked down at the boy. “When you get to be my age it’s all the same. Now, what was I talking about again, Peter?”

 

Georgie blinked. “My name’s not Peter…” He mumbled.

 

Lauren pointed to a paper sitting on the desk. “We should really get that filled out.”

 

“Oh, yeah! You’re right.” Cathy scribbled on the paper before bringing it to Dale. “Here. Sign it so you can leave this poor boy alone.”

 

“I’m teaching him to be a man!” Dale continued to grumble and complain but ultimately signed it anyways. When he gave back the paper, he returned his attention to Georgie.

“Do you have a pocket knife yet?”

 

“No.”

 

“No? Well, not with a fruity name like Samantha you won’t! I’ll give you mine. Where’d I put my pocket knife?”

 

“You gave it to your son.”

 

“Damn kids… Always takin’ stuff of mine!” He looked at Georgie. “Never have them! That ten minutes is _not_ worth it.”

 

“Ten?” Cathy asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

Lauren shook her head and looked at the boy. “You can go now. Thank you for your help.”

 

“You took longer pushing the brat out of you!” Dale was still arguing with Cathy while Georgie slid off the bed and left the room. He had no idea what happened.

 

Once he was gone, Dale noticed his absence. “What was that kid’s name again? Domino?”

 

 

Now that Georgie was free, he could resume rescuing his brother. He started to run down the hall until he got to a big room on the corner. He gasped when he read his brother’s name written on the name card. The boy pushed the door open and hurried inside. But the room was empty. A nurse walked in shortly after and Georgie turned to her.

“Where’s Bill?”

 

“Oh, he’s not here. You just missed him.”

 

Georgie gave a defeated whine. He was too late. He wondered if he hadn’t stopped to help those others if he would have been able to make it in time.


	30. By the Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Suicide Warning

Georgie returned to Beverly and Richie’s room with the pep sucked out of him. He was depressed without Bill.

 

Beverly frowned when she saw the boy come in. “Did you find Bill?”

 

Georgie shook his head somberly and crawled back in the bed with Beverly. “He’s not here anymore…” The teen held him.

 

“What’s going to happen now?” Richie asked, referring to Bill, to them, to everything.

 

“I don’t know yet…” Stan mumbled in response.

 

 

Bill sat in a bare questioning room, handcuffed to the table. He tapped his ring on the table anxiously until he heard the door open. Oscar walked in and sat across from the teen.

 

“You want to tell me what happened?”

 

The teen didn’t say anything.

 

“The quiet game isn’t going to help you here. You got to talk if you want out.”

 

Bill sighed heavily, trying to figure out where to start. “…I d-didn’t…” He couldn’t finish his sentence.

 

“Go on…”

 

The teen shook his head.

 

“Let’s start with last night. What were you kids doing there?”

 

Bill stared at the table as he talked. “…We had to f-f-fight the cl-clown…” He was very aware of how crazy he sounded.

 

“What clown?” Oscar was fishing for a name, wanting to see if everything matched.

 

“P-Pennywise…” He clenched his fists.

 

“All of you saw the same clown?”

 

“Yes… H-He’s the reason h-half of us are d-dead. He’s killed ev-everyone. Th-Those kids… Lexi and Br-Brandy… _everyone_.”

 

“That’s a bold statement.”

 

“D-Do you have an-any leads on anyone else?”

 

“No.”

 

“Th-Then it’s the clown!”

 

“That can’t be your excuse for everything.” The officer could see he was getting more agitated as the conversation continued.

 

“Just l-look at the amount of d-d-deaths s-since October. It’s n-not a coincidence!”

 

“That irrelevant.”

 

“No, it’s not!” He tugged but the handcuffs prevented him from going anywhere. “If you’re not in-investigating these d-deaths than what are you d-doing?”

 

“You’re getting off topic-”

 

“The intr-intruder at Georgie’s sc-school!!” He slammed his palms down on the table. “He b-better be dead or d-dying. Wh-Where is he? You’ve had pl-plenty of time to f-find him!”

 

“That case has been closed.”

 

“Where is he?” Bill hissed slowly.

 

“I don’t know.”

 

Bill’s eye twitched with anger.

 

“Look, the only person who has seen this man is Georgie. There have been no other complaints or sightings by anyone else or Georgie. We’re letting this slide.”

 

“L-Like everything else…”

 

“Let’s get back to last night.”

 

“Are you qu-questioning an-anyone else about last night?”

 

“No.”

 

“L-Letting that slide, too?” He asked bitterly.

 

“You kids were trespassing.”

 

“We were f-f-fighting for our lives.”

 

Oscar sighed but before he could say anything, Bill continued.

 

“Your b-bastard of a s-son was there.”

 

“…I know.”

 

“You d-don’t want to qu-question him about anything? Like wh-why he’s preying on my br-brother?”

 

The officer was quiet.

 

“You going to l-let that one sl-sl-slide too?” He was pissed.

 

“Bill…”

 

“He h-hurt my brother!”

 

“That’s a different topic. We’re not here to talk about th-”

 

“You’re pr-protecting him!”

 

“I’m _trying_ to get you to explain to me what happened that led you to kill your father.”

 

“Pennywise!”

 

“The clown?”

 

“No! The f-f-fucking tablecloth! _Y-Yes_ , the clown!”

 

“There’s no need to be so worked up.” It was disquieting for the officer to watch Bill. The teen wasn’t holding himself together well. Something more was agitating him.

 

Oscar leaned back in his chair as he ran the information through his mind. He propped his head with his fist on the arm of the chair. He had no leads on who the clown character was. He honestly didn’t believe he was real. There was no real evidence that he was real. Even if others saw him, it was hearsay.

“…Are you sure this clown, Pennywise, _actually_ exists? He’s not just in your head?”

 

“I-I’ve already t-told you h-he’s real! G-Georgie s-s-sees him, too.”

 

The officer gave a pity nod.

“Georgie was the first to see him?”

 

Bill was getting annoyed with these questions he’s answered before.

“Y-Yes.”

 

“You and Georgie have always been really close, correct?”

 

The teen nodded. He wasn’t sure where he was going with the questions but it made him anxious. He played with his ring again.

 

“You’ve also recently became a teenager and started high school. So, you only have about four more years before you’re out of here.”

 

“Y-Yeah?”

 

Oscar was just confirming before he presented his explanation of everything.

“Georgie has longer to go than you. I’m sure he realizes this even if it’s subconscious. You two are growing up but at different rates.” He shrugged. “It’s only natural for you to grow apart. Do you think it’s possible that Pennywise is simply a manifestation of this fear of losing the one he loves most; which is you? That all of this is just his child-like mind finding a way to cope and face this inevitable fear by creating a figure to represent it? A figure to blame, to hate, and to fear when in reality there is no one to blame. It’s life. The reason you’re also seeing the same figure is because Georgie told you about him, and you have the same fear of losing him.”

 

“H-He’s n-not our im-im-imagination! The others s-s-saw him!”

 

“The others are pitying you. You’re just in denial about it. Georgie is dangerously dependent on you and you know it. Instead of allowing him to grow on his own and develop outside relationships, you’ve kept him close. The sun rises and sets on you in his eyes. He’s the same for you but not for much longer. Although you have the same fear of losing him, you’ll be the one to detach first. You’ll lose interest in him and leave to start your own life. He’ll be left alone and shattered until he finds someone else to fill your spot. Unfortunately, this is going to happen a lot sooner than it should… You’re not going home, Bill.”

 

“Are you s-s-serious?!”

 

Oscar leaned forward in his chair a bit. “Do you realize the gravitation of what you did a few hours ago? You _killed_ your father. You’re not going anywhere.”

 

Tears threatened Bill eyes and got as close as sitting on the waterline but he still had a glare on the officer.

 

Oscar leaned back. “Georgie will have to get counseling for the loss of you. You can’t be his world for the entirety of his life, suddenly be gone, and expect him to walk it off. He’s too young to cope by himself. Depending on his assessments, he may have to be put on medication. He’ll need at least two counselors…” He thought aloud. “I’ll probably write a referral to suggest he have at least three to see regularly.”

 

“Th-Three?”

 

He began counting off on his fingers. “He’ll need a psychologist to monitor his mental behavior and get rid of this imaginary clown. He’ll need a counselor to coach him through the loss of his father who was killed in front of his eyes. And I want him to have someone separate to try to help him cope with the loss of you; the brother he’s so attached to and the murderer of his father.”

 

“Wh-What’s going to h-happen to me?”

 

“You’ll go before a judge and plead guilty.”

 

“N-No!”

 

“You want to go to jail?” He asked sternly. “Because that’s what’s going to happen. You don’t want to go that route. You wouldn’t survive in jail. They’d mop up the floor with you. You’ll get an easier sentence if you plead insanity.”

 

“I’m not in-insane!”

 

“You say you killed your dad because of a clown. That sounds pretty insane to me.”

 

Bill hissed but then something changed in his eyes. He looked remorseful and scared. “I’m not ps-psycho, I swear…”

 

Oscar quietly watched him. He noticed the shift. This is what the officer recognized as being Bill’s true self; scared. But something else was there that had stronger control over his mind.

 

Bill glanced down as he blinked, sending a tear down his cheek.

“I w-w-want G-Georgie to be okay…”

 

“I’ll ensure he gets the counseling he needs. As well as your mother. But… if she doesn’t get a hold on things quickly to be able to care for Georgie… then he’ll be placed in foster care.”

 

Bill looked up when the officer mentioned foster care.

“N-No…”

 

“Once that happens, I have no jurisdiction over him. He’ll be the state’s problem.” Oscar was quiet as he glanced down. “I don’t think he’ll have any trouble getting picked by a different family.”

 

“I d-don’t want anyone else t-to h-have him!”

 

“It’s a possibility.”

 

“I’ll k-keep him!”

 

Oscar smirked for multiple reasons but he chose to address only one of them. “You’re not eighteen. You can’t legally be his guardian.”

 

“B-But he’s my br-brother!”

 

“That doesn’t matter. You’re not old enough to take care of him.”

 

“I’ve b-been d-doing it for years…” He mumbled.

 

The officer was silent. “…You should have asked for help. You could have gotten a trial, and possibly won, last month. But you chose to try to handle it yourself. It’s over, Bill.”

 

The teen fidgeted with his ring again. “I’ll j-just take him...” He was thinking out loud.

 

Oscar smirked again. “We call that kidnapping.”

 

“N-Not if he w-wants to come with me.”

 

“He’s not the age of consent-“

 

“He d-doesn’t need consent! I can t-take care of him!” He was agitated and angry again.

 

Oscar watched him. He wished he knew the cause of the teen’s mental breakdown. “Bill… You’ll be going to an asylum.”

 

That didn’t go over well with the teen. “Why?!”

 

“You need it, Bill. Just from the behavior you showed me right here.” He placed a finger on the table. “You need it.”

 

“Then s-s-send Georgie with me!”

 

“Bill…”

 

“I w-want him with me!”

 

“Bill-”

 

“D-Don’t s-s-say my name, it’s mine!”

 

“Listen to yourself! An asylum isn’t a playground! There’s not a separate place for children and teens. It’s for crazies like you to get you away from everyone else. It’s a death sentence for Georgie to go in there.”

 

“I can pr-protect him!”

 

“You can’t even protect him _here_!”

 

That struck a sensitive nerve.

 

“If he goes with you, he won’t be paired with you. He’s too young. He will live in the women’s dormitory for a year. _Maybe_ two if he’s lucky. He’ll be placed with the feeble so there’s a less chance of someone snapping and strangling him. But once he turns eight, maybe nine, they’ll move him over to the men’s dormitory. They _might_ bed him with you, they might put him with a complete stranger who’s also mentally unstable.”

He tried to get Bill to understand the risks of sending a child there. “It’s unsanitary there. He could get sick very quickly and have a hard time recovering. The nurses there aren’t going to treat him like an innocent seven-year-old. He will be treated like everyone else; full grown and full crazy.”

 

Bill sat quietly glaring at the officer, clenching his fists.

 

“Georgie will be fine with therapists.”

 

“Why c-can’t I just s-s-see a th-therapist with him?”

 

“You _killed_ someone!” Oscar let out a laugh. “You don’t get off that easy! Your only options are jail or an asylum. Georgie hasn’t killed anyone so he gets to have a therapist.” He waited for him to respond. When he didn’t, the officer stood up. He spent too long with him anyways. He watched the teen rub the ring on his finger, staring at the table.

“Until you become stable, and as long as there’s breath in my body, you will not go anywhere near Georgie.”

 

The teen moved his eyes up to glare the officer down but he turned to leave the room.

 

 

 

 

The funeral for Zack was that Saturday. It was oddly a beautiful day but no one was focused on the weather. Georgie was messing with a toy he left in Bill's room. Beverly and Stan were downstairs, talking.

 

"I'm worried about Richie," he said in a mumble. 

 

"Because of Eddie?" Beverly asked.

 

"I think because of everything... Eddie, Ben, Mike, even Bill. We lost so many..."

 

Beverly was quiet as she glanced down. "...What's happening with Bill?" She finally asked. "Are they going to let him out?"

 

"Oh, that's right! You watched Georgie while I went to the trial..."

 

"I wish I could have been there, too." She gave a slight smile.

 

"Well... Oscar didn't want Georgie there in case things turned bad, so I needed someone to watch him..."

 

"...Did things get bad?"

 

Stan thought about his answer. He glanced around to make sure Georgie wasn't nearby. "...He pled guilty. I could tell he didn't want to but I guess Oscar convinced him to. The judge sentenced him to rehabilitation at a psychiatric hospital."

 

"Are you serious?!" She whispered loudly with shock. "How long?"

 

"Until he's better..." Stan shrugged awkwardly. He wished he had a better answer. "It's his first offense. The judge was pretty nice on him. He said he had to be there for _at least_ six months. But if he could pass all of his tests and show mental stability by that point, he could come home. If not then he would have to stay until he could demonstrate stability. When he does come home, he'll need to see a doctor every few months to monitor him and make sure he doesn't have another lapse."

 

Beverly didn't know what to say. She was only thinking about Georgie possibly having to wait six months before his brother comes home.

"Are they going to wait till after Christmas to send him?"

 

Stan slowly shook his head. Both their hearts broke for the same reason; Georgie. "He's being sent today..."

 

"No... No!" She felt numb, like none of this could be real. "...Does Georgie know?"

 

Stan shook his head again and gave a pity smirk to fight back tears. "How... What do I say? Let's go bury your dad in the ground. Oh, by the way, you're not going to see Bill again for six months _at best_."

 

They were both struggling to keep their tears on their waterlines.

"They haven't even seen each other since Bill was arrested..."

 

"We have to get Georgie down there to see him before he's gone."

 

"We have a funeral to go to!"

 

Beverly sighed, thinking. Then she remembered Richie. "Did Richie go to the trial?"

 

"No. I called and asked if he wanted to go with me but he said his leg was hurting too much and he didn't really want to see Bill right now..."

 

"Is he coming to the funeral?"

 

"He's supposed to already be here!" Stan checked his watch. "We have to go soon... I'll call him and see what's taking so long."

 

"Alright. The second this funeral is over we need to go see Bill one last time."

 

Stan nodded. 

 

 

 

Sharon walked down the hall, looking for her son. Georgie wasn't in his room. She zoomed past Bill's open room but then immediately came back to it, finding Georgie sitting on the bed. 

"You're not dressed yet?!"

 

The child jumped a bit. He had zoned out at staring at his toy.

"I'm almost-"

 

"I need you finished getting dressed now!" 

 

He slid off the bed as his mother came in, grabbing him by the arm to tug him out of the teen's room. The boy dropped his toy and a piece broke off, rolling under Bill's bed. 

 

Stan and Beverly looked up as they heard Sharon's raised voice.

"I got it," Beverly said as she headed for the stairs. 

 

Sharon slammed Bill's door shut unintentionally. She only meant to close it but being in a rush had made her slam it.

"We need to be at the church! I don't have time to-"

 

"I'll help him get dressed!" Beverly went over to them. Although Sharon was being a lot harsher than usual, the teen understood why. Sharon was still an absolute mess and it's hard to be tender to someone when you're falling in shambles. 

 

"Okay, fine." The mother was frantically trying to figure out if she had everything. "Okay. I'm going to the church now. Get him dressed and come immediately!"

 

"Yes, ma'am." She nodded and held Georgie by the shoulders.

 

Sharon was already heading down the stairs. Beverly petted Georgie's hair then went to the boy's room.

"Come on." She gathered the rest of Georgie's clothes on the bed and turned to him when he walked in the room. He was biting his lip to fight back crying. He wasn't used to being yelled at by his mom.

 

"Awww, Georgie..." Beverly went over to him and hugged him tightly, rubbing his back. "Your mom is just stressed... Today is a big day."

 

"...Where's Billy?" He asked in her shoulder. 

 

"..." Beverly kept rubbing his back. "We'll see him today."

 

"Why isn't he home?"

 

The teen had to pull away from the child and start getting him dressed just to keep herself from crying. "He'll come home..." That's all she could find the words to say as she tied his tie. 

 

 

 

Richie sat on his bed, looking down at the medicine bottle in his hand. He was dressed for the funeral but he couldn't bring himself to leave the house. He stared at the label, instructing him to not exceed two pain pills in a day. The teen twisted the top off and tilted the bottle over, spilling out the red and white pills into his hand. A few clacked onto the floor. A ring from the phone echoed throughout the house. Richie didn't move to retrieve the call. He struggled with himself to get up, clutching the pills in his fist. More fell to the floor as he walked to the phone in the other room. Before he could reach it, the ringing stopped. The teen sighed and waited by the phone for a few seconds, wanting it to ring again. He _needed_ it to ring again. But it didn't. 

 

When Stan didn't get him the first time, he was about to try again but Beverly and Georgie had come down the stairs. He hung up the phone and smiled.

"You look very nice, Georgie."

 

"Thank you..." He mostly mouthed the words, holding on to Beverly's hand.

 

"Did you get Richie?"

 

Stan shook his head. "No. He didn't pick up. Let's just go by his house really quick."

 

Beverly nodded but Georgie looked up at her with concern.

"Mom said we had to go straight to the church..."

 

She smiled gently at him. "It's okay to take a little detour." 

 

 

 

Richie picked up the phone to make a call but a creak in floorboards from behind made him turn around. He didn't see anyone. Faint whispers broke the silence of the home. The teen brought the phone up to his ear, thinking the whispers came from that but he slowly lowered the phone. The whispers continued in his head. He was beckoned to stare at the handful of pills. 

 

 

 

Stan knocked on Richie's front door and waited for a response. After a few moments of nothing, he opened the door.

"Richie?" 

 

Georgie and Beverly followed him inside. The boy looked around. He never been at Richie's house before. No one seemed to be home. 

 

"Richie!" 

 

Everyone split up to search for him. Stan noticed the phone hanging off the table, swinging slightly. He went over to it and placed it back on the table.

 

Georgie found brightly colored red pills littering the floor. He curiously followed them, thinking they looked a lot like little candies. The trail took him back into Richie's room. The boy looked up at the teen. 

"What are you doing?"

 

Richie gave the boy a sad smile. 

 

The noise of something falling over made Beverly glance around for the child. "Georgie? Where are you?"

 

 

"I found him!" He called from Richie's room. 

 

 

Stan looked up from the phone when he heard the boy call.

"You did? Great! Tell him to come on!"

 

There was a pause.

"He's floating!"

 

Stan blinked and shared a confused look with Beverly. The teen went further in the house to find Georgie. 

"...What do you mean he's-" He stopped at the doorway of Richie's room. "Oh, God."

Stan pulled Georgie out of the room. Richie's body was still swinging slightly.

"He's not floating..."

 

"What's wrong?" Beverly asked, walking down the hall to them.

 

"Take Georgie..." 

 

She picked the boy up to hold him on her hip but she was still confused. She could tell from Stan's face that something horrible happened. "What?" She peaked her head in the room for just a moment before gasping and quickly recoiling, holding Georgie's head to her chest. 

 

"It just happened," Stan whispered, in the same amount of horrible shock as her. "I'll meet you guys at the church... I'll call Oscar..."

 

Beverly gave a half nod before she turned to get Georgie out of there. Stan sighed out a shaky breath as he went back to the phone. He covered his mouth as tears began to stream while he listened to the other line ring. 

 

 

 

At the police station, Bill was leaning against the bars of his holding cell.

"D-D-Don't I get to go t-to my own f-f-father's funeral?" He bitterly asked Oscar. 

 

The officer smirked. "You're the reason there _is_ a funeral!"

 

Bill didn't crack a smile. The man sighed, shifting his footing. He knew the real reason Bill wanted to attend the funeral. 

"You're not getting to see Georgie."

 

"Wh-Why not?" He asked, squeezing one of the bars.

 

"You're dangerous, Bill. I'm not letting you near him. It's why you didn't see him in court."

 

The teen fought back his anger. "...It's not l-like I want to h-h-hurt him..." Bill stared at a corner as he zoned out to the whispers that creeped back in his head. "...I l-love him..."

 

Oscar watched him, not convinced by his words in the slightest. Something was definitely _off_. Before he could say anything, another officer walked in.

 

"Oscar. Phone's for you."  

 

He nodded then looked at the teen. "Say your goodbyes to Derry. You're being shipped off soon."

 

Bill watched the officer walk away. He thumbed the ring on his hand. 

 

 

Georgie was anxiously rubbing the matching ring on his necklace while Beverly carried him to the church. She was doing everything she could to not cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oscar might not know that much about asylums. Maybe he would, I don't know XD But I found it interesting! So I taught you through him


	31. Never Say Die

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, look! The next Chapter!
> 
> First off, I would like to apologize for this chapter taking so long. A lot of personal stuff has been happening lately, and this chapter mirrors some things I've went through. So, it's been a tough chapter to write XD But I really hope y'all enjoy it!

"Hello, Billy~"

 

The teen tightened his grip on the bars and looked over at the clown. "P-P-Piss off!" He hissed. 

 

"Rude," Pennywise responded with a smirk. It clasped his hands behind his back as he slowly paced. "Looks like Georgie is going to be left all alone... I wonder how he'll survive now." It grinned widely. 

 

Bill glared at him. "St-St-Stay away fr-from my brother!"

 

"Why would I do that? He's so easily influenced. I bet even after everything, he'll trust me before he trusts you again. You're a killer, after all..."

 

" _Y-You're_ the killer!" Bill shouted with anger. "G-Georgie will n-never tr-trust you!"

 

Pennywise chuckled. He loved how frustrated and angry Bill was getting. "You would have killed him."

 

"YOU WOULD HAVE K-KILLED HIM!"

 

The clown only laughed louder. "Whose fingerprints are on the axe? They're certainly not mine. _You_ killed your dad and _you_ almost killed Georgie. Now you're abandoning him." Pennywise's tone was condescending. 

 

"I'm n-not a-abandoning him!" Bill was only getting more frustrated. He felt he wasn't getting anywhere with the clown.

 

"But isn't that what you're doing? You'll be away from him. He won't be able to see you, talk to you, touch you. You'll be gone and he'll be stuck here without you." It grinned. "But at least he'll have me. I won't abandon him like you."

 

Bill was too frustrated and angry to be able to stutter out the words. The clown didn't wait for him to collect himself. He stepped closer to the bars to get in Bill's face. "Even when you're dead, I'll still be here." 

 

The teen spit in the clown's face. It growled and stepped back.

 

"Y-Y-You'll n-never br-break him! He-He's stronger than you!"

 

Pennywise snorted. "He doesn't believe that. And now with you about to be gone, he'll never believe."

 

"Y-You're wrong!"

 

"Wanna bet, then?" The clown laughed as Bill refused to answer. 

"Come on Billy~" Pennywise changed his voice to match Henry's. "Georgie has more to worry about than me. Who's going to keep him safe?" His voice changed back to normal. "Make a deal with me..." He whispered. "And Georgie could be safe."

 

Bill stared at him for the longest time. "...You al-already have a deal w-with Georgie. You're-You're not getting one from me."

 

"That deal has been broken."

 

"You m-make the rules, d-don't you? Th-This is all for your s-s-sick en-entertainment, right?" He asked bitterly. "Y-You can't do an-anything to break him. He-He's played your g-games by your sh-shit rules. You c-can't do anymore d-damage th-than you already have."

 

"Watch me." Pennywise laughed. 

 

 

 

Before they got to the church, Beverly decided to take a detour over to a small field. It was adjacent to the church but separated by a small creek and shaded by many trees. She placed the child down near the water. 

 

"Why are we here?" Georgie asked, looking down at the stream and then to the field around them. 

 

"I thought we could play a little bit before we go inside the chapel." Beverly needed to get her mind off Richie. She felt she needed to do the same to Georgie. The teen did her best to smile as she crouched down to pick up a leaf. Her smile was weak and shallow with pain and disbelief at how problems seemed to only be staking. She looked at the child who stared indifferently at the water. She didn't know what was going through Georgie's mind. If his outside reflected his inside, then he wasn't thinking of anything. He was switched over to a state of mental and emotional shutdown except for only the vitals; like he was in autopilot. 

 

"Come here," she said softly. Beverly wanted him to crouch with her. She wanted to get him engaged so he could break free from autopilot. 

 

Reluctantly, the child lowered himself next to her. Beverly took his hand to hold and with her other she carefully set the leaf on the water, allowing the current and wind to carry it away. She smiled a little more genuinely as she watched Georgie become interested.

 

"It floats..."

 

The teen nodded. "It does."

 

The leaf rode the current, bobbing and twirling around. It got stuck on the bank for a moment before it continued down the creek. Beverly was trying to show him that despite everything there was still beauty. She wanted to show that something as simple as a leaf on the water was more meaningful than any complicated problem. 

 

"I want you to promise me something."

 

Georgie broke his contact with the leaf to look at Beverly. 

 

"Whenever you feel like things become too much for you to handle I want you to come here and float a leaf down the stream. Pick any leaf you can find and put all your troubles and fears on it then let it be carried away from you. You don't have to carry the world. Let it carry you."

 

The boy picked up a nearby leaf but just as he released it, a gust of wind prevented it from reaching the water and blew it right back on him. Georgie gave a disappointed pout that his problems came back to him. Beverly stroked the boy's hair with a smirk. 

 

"We should go now..." She stood up with Georgie's hand wrapped in her own. They made their way across the parking lot and up the stairs of the church. There were people standing outside that Georgie didn't recognize. The only one that was familiar was his mother.

 

Sharon looked at them when they finally walked up.

"Where have you been?! You're late!"

 

"What are we late for?" The child mumbled mostly for Beverly to hear. "He's dead."

 

Beverly gave a tiny smirk and squeezed the boy's hand.

Sharon didn't appreciate the fact that her son was making light of the situation.

"Don't joke around about this!" She grabbed Georgie's wrist and tugged him into the church.

 

The boy frowned as he was dragged down the aisle. He and Sharon stood at the first pew while others approached them with their condolences. Georgie didn't recognize many of the people. He gave an ignorant smile to those who apologized for his loss. He didn't say anything to them. How was he supposed to respond? A man came through the line and smiled at the boy.

"I lost my dad when I was your age. Now we have something in common." 

 

Georgie blinked as he watched him walk away. He vaguely recognized his face but at the same time didn’t recognize him. The boy sighed, bored and tired of standing for strangers to talk to his mom and give small, uncomfortable smiles to him. 

 

Beverly was sitting a few pews back, waiting for the bunch of people to do their viewing. She looked over when Stan sat beside her.

 

"How's he holding up?" The teen asked in a whisper, referring to Georgie. 

 

Beverly gave a tiny smile, watching the confused boy at the front. "I don't think he understands..." 

 

Stan sighed. "I guess we need to talk to him about it later."

 

Beverly was about to say something but the people getting in the pew behind them caught her attention. It was Victor and Belch. Victor had placed his hand on the back of the teens' pew to make his presence known as he sat down. Stan also narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the bullies and he turned around in his seat. Before he could ask what they were doing there, Belch interrupted.

 

"I'm not staying."

 

"I am," Victor quickly added. 

 

"Why?" Stan asked cautiously. 

 

Victor nodded towards the child. Stan and Beverly followed his gaze to Georgie. 

 

"Haven't you done enough?" Beverly asked. "Stay away from him!" She hissed as loud as she could get without drawing attention to herself from the other people.

 

"I'm not going to hurt him..."

 

"Where's Henry?" Stan asked. He was usually never far from his minions.

 

"I don't know." Victor was sincere. "I haven't seen him since that night, and I honestly don't want to see him..."

 

Beverly didn't trust him as far as she could throw him.

 

"...Is... there going to be a case against Henry and us?" He was referring about all the abuse against Georgie.

 

"Once things settle down, I'm taking him to file a report." Stan said, now turned back to face the front. "Believe me, I'll be fighting for a trial."

 

Victor was confused on why Stan would be taking him and not Bill. He glanced at his friend for a moment. "Wouldn't Bill be taking him?"

 

Stan was quiet. 

 

"Bill would kick your ass." Beverly interjected. 

 

"Where is he?" Belch asked, looking around for him. The bullies had learned about the funeral from the obituary in the paper. However, details on how Zack was killed and the involvement of Bill had been left out. The fact that Bill was absent from the church appeared odd to not only the bullies but the others. Hushed gossip was passed around the church walls on possibilities of why the eldest son wasn't there. 

 

Before Beverly could explain, Stan stopped her.

 

"He'll... be here..." He exchanged a look to her. He didn't want the bullies to know anything about Bill yet in case they tried to use his absence to get to Georgie. 

 

Beverly narrowed her eyes again at the bullies. "When he does get here, you better be gone."

 

Belch was successfully waved into leaving in that moment but Victor wasn't moved.

"I'll go with you for the trial."

 

Belch stayed in his seat when he heard what his friend said. He stared at him. 

 

" _With_ me?" Stan asked to clarify. "Or _against_ me?"

 

"With you. _For_ Georgie." 

 

"Why? Aren't you scared about getting in trouble? What about what Henry might do to you?"

 

Victor gave a tiny shrug for a response. "...I just want to fix this..." 

 

Stan looked to Belch. "Are you going to show up to the trial?"

 

The bully looked at his friend before looking away. "I don't know yet..."

 

"Georgie!" Victor called in a whisper. He wanted to let him know he was there. 

 

Beverly glared at him. "Don't call for him!" She hissed. 

 

"It's okay," Stan said, watching Georgie. "I want to see what he does..." The teen was skeptical to trust Victor but he wanted to know how Georgie felt about him.

 

It took a moment for the child to register his name had been called. He blinked and glanced around. His eyes landed on Victor who lifted his hand a bit for a tiny wave. Victor was the last person he expected to find. He smiled and waved back. The boy looked up at his mom talking to someone before he slipped away from the front to go over to the teens. His mom was thoroughly distracted to notice his absence. 

 

Victor scooted down, forcing Belch to also move down some in order to make room for Georgie. 

 

"You're here!"

 

Victor nodded and Belch glanced away from the boy's eyes. He didn't feel comfortable to be around the kid especially after all that happened.

 

Stan was a little disappointed that Georgie seemed okay that Victor was around. He didn't think it was a smart place to invest trust. But so much had been taken away from the boy that he didn't feel he should deny him anything. He just had to hope his gut was wrong and that Victor was capable of change. Beverly was obviously disapproving of the friendship but she didn't say anything. This wasn't the place or the time. 

 

Victor was looking towards the front of the church.

"I think your mom wants you," he mumbled to the child. 

 

Georgie looked and, sure enough, his mother was motioning for him to come back, an obvious look of annoyance on her face. 

The child made a tiny noise and lowered himself as if he could hide from already being spotted. The teen looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He smirked. "She can still see you," he whispered. 

 

Georgie sighed and slid off the pew to return to the front of the church with his mom. 

 

 

Belch decided he should get going so he said a quiet goodbye to his friend before he moved out of the pew to leave. He sighed on his way home. He couldn't believe anything that was happening. The teen stopped when he saw someone walk his way. It was Henry. His eyes quickly glanced down to see he was holding a gun. He was heading for the church. Before Henry could say anything, Belch started first. 

 

"He's not there." He lied. 

 

Henry stared at him with his signature mean glare. "Oh? And how do you know?"

 

"I was just there." He swallowed.

 

"Where's your boyfriend?" He teased. "Is the brat with him?"

 

"No." He lied again. "He's... He's probably with Bill." Belch was quickly getting more nervous as Henry stepped closer. "Bill wasn't at the church either."

 

"Then where is Bill?" He asked, his voice quiet, giving false security. 

 

Belch didn't fall for it. There was never any security with Henry.

"...I think he's at home."

 

"Do you _think_ or do you _know_?" Henry hissed, pressing the gun against Belch's temple. 

 

"He's at home," he said quickly. 

 

The bully stared him down for a couple moments before finally lowering the gun. "Then that's where we're going."

 

He swallowed again. He had no choice but to go with Henry. He just hoped Bill wasn't actually home. He tried to walk behind Henry but the bully wasn't going to allow that. When they arrived to the Denbrough home, Belch was more than nervous. He was terrified. Henry shoved the other bully forward. "Open the door!"

 

Belch hesitantly placed his hand on the knob. He pretended it was locked. "It... won't open..."

 

Henry shoved him out of the way and kicked the door open easily. Belch should have lunged at him in that moment but hesitated and fled instead. The bully quickly pulled his gun and aimed it for him. 

 

"Hold it!" 

 

Belch and Henry froze in place as they looked at the man standing at the end of the driveway. It was Oscar. He happened to be driving back from Richie's house and saw the teens heading for the Denbrough residence. He was standing at his car then took a couple steps towards them.

 

"Drop the gun, Henry. I will shoot."

 

Henry glared at his father. He was calling his bluff. "No-"

 

Oscar didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. The bullet went past the teen's head. 

Belch had flinched at the sound, expecting the shot to have come from Henry’s gun. Henry was equally shocked. Although he quickly returned his glare, Oscar saw his hand tremble. 

 

The officer kept his gun aimed to his son. "You need to stay away from that Denbrough boy," he ordered. "If you touch him again, I will be the one to either lock you up or shoot you down. Decide who you want to be  _now_."

 

"...You wouldn't shoot me," he challenged, despite getting close to just being shot. 

 

"The world will keep turning just fine without you." Oscar appeared to be indifferent and didn't show any signs of backing down. 

 

Henry finally lowered the gun slowly, eventually dropping it to the ground. 

 

 

 

With the viewing now over, the funeral was about to start. Georgie sat in the second row, staring at the closed casket. He didn't notice Beverly slowly move up to the sit in the same pew. She sat next to the boy, following his gaze to the casket.

 

"You're waiting for him to wake up, aren't you?" She asked quietly. 

 

Tears came immediately, despite the child's efforts to stop them. He leaned his head in Beverly's chest when she wrapped an arm around him.

"...He's not going to... is he?"

 

Beverly smiled sadly and kissed the boy's head, holding him tightly as he cried quietly, fighting each tear. The teen knew all of this was hard on the boy. Even if it was for the better that Zack was gone. 

 

Georgie didn't listen to anything the preacher said. He was desperately trying to keep himself together. He wanted the day to be over. He shut his eyes, hoping that perhaps it was all just a horrible nightmare. 

 

Beverly nudged the boy to open his eyes. They were moving the funeral outside for the burial. The boy made a quiet whine as he stood up with everyone else. Georgie did his best to blank out and completely ignore anything that was happening around him. 

 

The walk up the hill to the burial site was the hardest thing he ever had to do. He glanced at the many tombstones that littered the graveyard. The place felt so heavy with sadness. Georgie was surprised he was able to make the walk being so weighed down. He clung to Beverly's hand while Stan walked on the other side of him. Victor was a few steps behind. Once there, Georgie kept his gaze glued to the ground, fascinating himself with a black bug crawling on the ground. He didn't want to pay attention to the burial. He didn't want to be present. Stan stroked the boy's hair once but the child didn't respond to it. 

 

Something caught Beverly's eyes towards the trees at the back of the yard. It was a red balloon. Her eyes widened with panic but before she could say anything, she felt a strong wave of dizziness and all the energy immediately siphoned out of her. The world around her moved and she collapsed to the ground. The child looked over once he felt Beverly's hand leave his. People gasped and some huddled around the girl, Stan being one to join them. He kneeled down and pulled her to sit up. 

 

"Beverly!"

 

"I... I can't move," she whispered. 

 

"You're okay," he promised. "We'll get you to the hospital." 

 

She shook her head and clung to Stan. "...Take Georgie to see Bill..."

 

"We will after we-"

 

"...Stan..." Beverly knew and so did Stan. He just didn't want to believe it. The color had been drained from her and her eyes were distant. It was happening so fast. This was another attack from Pennywise.

 

Georgie didn't understand what was happening but he looked away from them to find Pennywise near the trees. He had a feeling he was involved somehow. He huffed and marched over to the clown. Everyone was too preoccupied with Beverly and calling an ambulance that no one noticed the child walk off. 

 

 

"This is all  _your_  fault!" The boy shoved the clown but It didn't budge. He was used to Bill always collapsing to his touch, making him feel like he was strong. Pennywise made him feel weak; useless. The clown's laughter only made him feel worse. 

 

"Why are you doing this?" Georgie asked, tears swelling in his eyes.

 

"Doing what?"

 

"THIS! Everything! Why won't you leave me alone?!"

 

He chuckled more. "It's too much fun."

 

"If you want to kill me so bad then just do it already!"

 

The clown was silent, pondering his next move. He stared down at the sniffling child. There was something about a child wanting to die that took the fun out of it. Georgie was too miserable to frighten. That was no fun.

 

"Or leave me alone!" He wiped his eyes and kicked the clown in the shin. 

 

Pennywise only smirked at his attempt to hurt him. He made his decision on what to do with the boy. "I want to show you something…"

 

"I don't care!" Georgie turned to leave but the clown held him by the collar of his shirt. He tugged him over to the wall of trees where he turned him to face the nature.

 

"What do you see?"

 

Georgie didn't feel like playing one of Pennywise’s weird games. "I don't know..."

 

"You're not even trying!"

 

The boy made a noise of frustration. He searched the trees but found nothing of interest. "What am I supposed to be looking at?"

 

"What do you see?"

 

"...I don't know. Trees?"

 

Pennywise pointed up to a bird that was chirping occasionally.

"See that sparrow?"

 

"Yeah?" The boy didn't know what the clown was trying to get at. "What about it?"

 

"Do you think that bird worries about what it's going to eat, where it's going to go, or about next week?"

 

"How am I supposed to know... Maybe?" Georgie didn't know the point of this. He just wanted to go home. He just wanted Bill.

 

The clown watched him. "Does it look like it's worrying about any of those things?"

 

Georgie looked up at the bird again. He supposed it seemed pretty content. “…No.”

 

"Don't you think you're more precious than that little sparrow?"

 

The boy blinked, first with confusion and then with the feeling of tears pushing at his eyes. He didn't expect to hear anything remotely nice to come from Pennywise. It made him highly suspicious but also thoughtful as he pondered his question. He looked up at the clown, not knowing not the answer. 

 

Pennywise smirked. "That bird doesn't have a care in the world. There's plenty for it to be worried sick. What if doesn't find food, doesn't find shelter from a storm, doesn't find a mate, or what if this tree, its home, is cut down? It's not concerned in the slightest about what's going to happen. It knows that it's going to be taken care of. It was never forgotten or abandoned. Even though it's alone. Don't you think something as precious as you should feel the same way?" There was something different about Pennywise's voice that the child didn't catch. There was a slight mix of Bill and Zack's voice. It was telling the boy something he never heard before but it should have been only a reminder. Being told he was important should have been something he heard daily. Pennywise knew these kind words were foreign to him which was why he was using them to his advantage to gain trust. "There's plenty for you to worry about but you're worth more than that little sparrow. Don't you know you'll be just fine, too? Despite anything that happens. Even when you die."

 

Georgie was biting his lip to stop tears from forming. 

 

"You've made it this far after all," Pennywise chuckled, almost bitterly. "For a kid, you're tough." His voice was normal now. He was staring at the bird then glanced down at the child. "Despite what's been taken from you, it'll be returned tenfold." The clown watched a tear fall from the child's eyes. 

 

Georgie didn't understand the kind words. He didn't trust them. He didn't  _want_  to trust them. He felt too vulnerable to trust. Pennywise always lied, how could he be sure these weren’t just more lies? The boy turned and ran back, tears streaming down his face. 

 

Pennywise laughed lowly. "...So easily influenced..." He could build up trust with Georgie then crush him back down.

 

 

 

Georgie returned to the crowd of people but kept a safe distance as paramedics took Beverly in an ambulance. He didn’t understand what was happening. He didn’t really want to understand. He wiped his face. The boy glanced up as he Victor touch his shoulder. Neither of them exchanged words. What could possibly be said in a situation like this?

No one knew what to do. They were all shocked and confused. Beverly seemed perfectly fine a moment ago. Most everyone assumed perhaps she only passed out from the heat. Georgie looked over at the man who talked to him earlier. He didn’t seem to believe the others’ gossip. He wasn’t distracted by the funeral; he saw something didn’t seem right. He met the boy’s eyes then looked over to where the child had escaped to. Georgie nervously followed his eyes. He could still see Pennywise, of course, but he didn’t know the man could also see him. He assumed not since no one else seemed to notice the clown lingering by the trees. Pennywise was staring heavily at the man with a face that didn’t give the child any clues as to what he was thinking. The man narrowed his eyes suspiciously in the clown’s direction then returned them to Georgie. The boy took a step back to obstruct his view by Victor’s body. He didn’t know why he felt the need to hide from shame. He hadn’t done anything wrong… At least, not recently.

 

Stan sighed shakily as he watched the ambulance take his friend. He raked a hand through his hair then turned to find Georgie. He quickly took the child from Victor's grasp and lifted him onto his hip, carrying him down the hill. The boy didn't bother asking any questions. He was too scared to learn the answers. A part of him already knew.

 

They were both silent until they made it into the police station. 

"What are we doing?" He asked quietly. 

 

"Seeing Bill." Stan was beyond stressed. He was worried about Beverly and concerned for himself and Georgie.

 

Georgie refused to allow himself to become visibly excited at the mention of Bill. He needed to see him in order to believe. 

 

 

"What can I do for you?" The officer at the front desk asked. 

 

"We need to see Bill Denbrough."

 

The man checked his file and shook his head. "We can't allow visitors. He's going to be transferred in about 20 minutes."

 

"Please?" Stan urged. "Just for 5 minutes and we'll leave."

 

The man looked at the child who sniffed occasionally. His eyes were tired and still damp from tears. The officer didn’t like seeing the boy upset so he caved in easily. He supposed a short visit wouldn’t cause any harm.

"...5 minutes only... Follow me."

 

The officer took them towards the back where the holding cells were. He led them to the very last one that housed Bill. The brothers' eyes met and lit up simultaneously. Both of them stayed quiet, as if waiting for the mirage to pass. Georgie whimpered, not able to fight back his tears.

 

"Can you open the cell?" Stan asked quietly, shifting the boy in his arms.  

 

The officer looked uncomfortable, knowing they weren't even supposed to be seeing Bill. The teen’s file stated he was dangerous and shouldn’t be allowed to have any contact with anyone under any circumstance.

"Okay... But don't touch! No one is supposed to be back here..."

 

He unlocked the cell door and slid it open. Georgie waited until Stan set him down before he bolted into the cell and jumped into Bill's arms. 

 

"I just said don't touch! Oh... Whatever..." The officer sighed. 

 

Stan chuckled softly. He was happy to see the brothers reunite. 

 

They clung to each other as tears swelled their eyes.

"G-Georgie..." Bill whispered against the boy, squeezing him close. He stepped back further in the cell, wanting to be away from everyone except Georgie. “I’m s-s-so sorry…”

 

"When are you coming home?" The child asked, still trying to fight his tears. He needed Bill. He didn’t want to be away from him again.

Bill heard the need and pain in Georgie’s question. It only delayed his answer.

“…N-Not for a wh-while…”

 

Stan winced. This was the first time Georgie was told anything about Bill being gone for six months.

 

“What? Why?” The child pulled away from his chest so he could look him in the eyes.

 

Bill nibbled on his bottom lip for a few seconds. “I’m g-going to be away f-f-for a while… B-But I’ll be back be-before you know it.”

 

“You can’t leave me here!”

 

“Geo-“

 

“No! You can’t leave! I forbid it!”

 

"Georgie... Y-You can't f-forbid me."

 

"Yes, I can! I just did!"

 

"I f-f-forbid you t-to forbid me."

 

Georgie gasped. 

 

Bill smirked faintly and he touched the boy's cheek. "I w-won't be gone l-long. I pr-promise."

 

"But I need you! You can't leave me..." Tears threatened the child's eyes as he searched Bill's for a sign that this wasn't true. 

 

"Y-You'll be just f-fine without me."

 

"No, I won't!" 

 

"I w-w-wouldn't leave you if you w-weren't r-ready." He gave the boy a weak smile. "It ju-just for s-six months."

 

"Six  _months_?!" He repeated loudly. 

 

 

Oscar returned to the police station just in time for Bill to be transferred. When he walked back to the holding cell, he stopped at what he saw.

"What's going on here? He can't have visitors."

 

"Oh..." The other officer turned and moved out of the way of Oscar. "They were just leaving..."

 

Officer Bowers sighed when he saw the brothers clutch each other. "It's time to go Bill."

 

Bill slowly complied, handing over Georgie to Stan. The other teen gave him a tiny smile.

"You'll be fine," he whispered to both of them. 

 

"I d-don't have much ch-choice..." Bill mumbled, letting Oscar handcuff him. He slowly walked along with the officer, looking back at Georgie. He had a promise in his eyes but the boy wouldn't look back at him. 

 

Georgie gripped Stan's shirt as he laid his head on his shoulder, trying to fight back the tears wanting to resume. The teen rubbed his back, being escorted out by the other officer. He hated to do this to Georgie but he had to take him from one difficult situation to another. 

 

"We're going to see Beverly, okay?"

 

The boy didn't respond. He just closed his eyes. He felt completely drained and taxed. Georgie just wanted to go home. He waited until after they were directed to Beverly's room at the hospital before the boy spoke again. "...What's wrong with Beverly? She was getting better..."

 

Stan was silent as he carried him to the ICU floor. He wished he didn't have to be the one to have this conversation with him.

"...I know..." That was the only thing he could say. He didn't want to tell Georgie the worst conclusion unless he absolutely had to. 

 

"This is my fault," Georgie mumbled, making Stan stop in the hallway. "This is all because I didn't do what Pennywise said..."

 

The teen set Georgie down and made him look at him. "Listen to me, that _thing_ isn't going to stop just because you obey it... It is the one that's doing this, not you. None of this is your fault, hear me?"

 

The boy's eyes were clouded with tears. He wouldn't say anything. Before Stan could say anything else, he looked up to see Victor walking towards them. 

"What are you doing here?" He grabbed Georgie's hand to hold and the boy wiped his eyes with his free hand. He didn't want to be seen crying in front of Victor. 

 

"I thought this is where you two had went but I guess I beat you here."

 

"You didn't have to come here," the teen said as he walked past him, taking Georgie with him. 

Inside the hospital room, the atmosphere was heavy and painful. It was small, the crowdedness only adding to the discomfort. Beverly was sleeping restlessly. Stan sat down in the chair next to her bed and pulled Georgie in his lap. They sat for a while before Stan sadly smiled at the boy who was uncomfortable. He could tell he didn't like being in the room. "Do you want to go see what you can find in the snack machine?" He asked quietly. 

 

Georgie perked up. "Yes!" 

 

Stan smiled and let the boy hop off. He needed to talk to a nurse about Beverly's status. He walked the boy to the door then handed him a couple coins. "I think I saw one down the hall."

 

"Okay!" The boy ran off and stopped when he met Victor in the hall. "Hello."

 

"Where are you running off to?"

 

"To get a snack. Do you want to go with me?" 

 

 

Stan watched the boy walk with Victor. He didn't like it but he didn't stop it. Instead, he found Beverly's nurse. 

 

 

The older teen walked with a fraction of pep that the child had. He didn't exactly find going to a vending machine the most exciting adventure but he supposed to the boy it was better than sitting in a room. When they got there, Georgie looked up at all the options. It was overwhelming. 

 

Victor looked at the snacks then down at him. "Do you want to play a game?"

 

The boy tilted his head. "What kind of game?"

 

"Close your eyes and pick a letter. And I'll pick a number." He motioned to the machine. "Then we'll see what we end up with."

 

"Okay!" The boy covered his eyes and hummed as he thought of a letter. "...C."

 

Victor didn't close his eyes but he paused to make it seem like he was thinking. He searched the snacks to find a combination he'd think Georgie would like. "...5."

 

The boy then uncovered his eyes to insert the coin and press the C button. Victor pressed the 5. After a moment, a pack of cookies fell to the bottom. 

 

Georgie smiled excitedly as he found the cookies and the teen smirked. 

 

"Did you get something good?" Stan asked as he walked up to them. 

 

"Yeah!" Georgie showed him the cookies. 

 

Stan smiled softly. "Why don't you go back to Beverly's room? I'll be there in a second."

 

The boy nodded then started to walk off. Stan watched him then turned to Victor. "He seems to like you."

 

The bully shrugged. "I guess." 

 

"I hope you know what you're doing." Stan crossed his arms. "He's in a vulnerable place and for whatever reason he's giving you a second chance. Don't do anything you'll regret."

 

Victor stayed quiet then nodded. 

 

 

 

Georgie sat in the big chair next to the bed, waiting for Stan to come back. He didn't like being in the hospital. It made him nervous and uncomfortable. He met Beverly's fading eyes when she looked over at him.

She gave him a faint smile. "You look so much like Bill..."

 

He returned a polite smile then Stan came back in the room. The teen smiled at Beverly who was starting to go back to sleep then he offered his hand to Georgie. "Walk with me. I want to talk to you about something."

 

The boy slid off the chair, leaving the cookies, and held the teen's hand. He looked down the hall, searching for Victor. Stan noticed the boy looking for him.

 

"He went home."

 

Georgie nodded a bit. After a moment, he looked up at him. "Where are they taking Bill?"

 

Stan sighed softly, thinking of how to put it. "He's... going to a place kind of like a hospital, but instead of people who are physically sick, like Beverly, the people there are mentally sick." He looked down to see if Georgie was going to say anything. He didn't. The boy was thinking. 

 

"I don't think he's sick, though," Stan continued. "I think he's fine and he'll be back in six months."

 

The boy had a look of pure sadness at the sound of six months. 

 

The teen squeezed his hand. "In the meantime, we can write him letters."

 

Georgie nodded and they kept walking down the hall. After a while, Stan stopped and looked at the boy. 

"...Do you understand what's happening?"

 

"With what?"

 

"With Beverly." He decided to just start with one. He watched the boy look away and shift a little bit so they continued to walk. 

"How about your dad?" The teen asked. "Do you understand that he's... not coming back?"

 

He watched Georgie bite his lip. The boy slowly nodded. This pained Stan to do but he had to continue. He had to make sure Georgie was facing reality.

"That means you're just going to be living with your mom now until Bill comes back. Then it'll just be the three of you."

 

Georgie was fighting back tears, trying his best to bite them away. He looked up at the teen. Stan smiled sadly and painfully. "And Richie... isn't coming back either. What you saw was..." Stan sighed and glanced away from him. He couldn't bring himself to try to explain suicide to the boy. "...He died... Eddie, Ben, Mike..." Stan sighed again just to keep his breathing leveled. He finally returned his eyes to the boy that had tears down his face. "They're not coming back..." Stan didn't want to be too hard with Georgie and he hated there was so much he had to pile on for one conversation. "...And Beverly... she's not going to make it through the night..."

 

Stan watched as the mention of her was the one that seemed to break Georgie the most. The boy pulled his hand away from Stan's to be able to wipe his eyes. 

 

"But...But she was getting better..." His voice broke halfway through the sentence, sending more tears down his cheeks. 

 

"I know," Stan whispered, his heart breaking for the both of them. He could tell Georgie wanted to ask how or why it was happening but he wasn't able to gather any words. "I don't know why..." he answered so he wouldn't have to ask. "But I _do_ know that it's not your fault. None of this has anything to do with you. You didn't cause any of this. It would have happened either way..."

 

The boy kept his hands on his eyes to try to stop the tears but it didn't work. Stan slowly picked him up. 

 

"...But why? ..." Georgie sniffled and hid his face in Stan's shoulder. 

 

"...Death is just one of those things that are certain... I want you to be aware of what you’re feeling, okay? Emotions can do some nasty things if they’re ignored." Stan continued to carry the boy. Georgie needed sleep. The day had too much emotional strain. The teen rubbed the boy's back, trying to help lure him to sleep. 

"Away in a small village," Stan whispered, figuring a story might help. "Lives an old lady named Misery. She lives in the outskirts of this village on a trail that travelers use. When she was younger, she loved to have company over to her house. There were many times she would even allow travelers to rest at her place. As she got older, less people came to visit, causing her to become bitter. The only time anyone would go near her old house was to steal fruit from her tree."

 

Georgie listened to the teen's soft whisper. He kept his eyes closed as he listened, calming down. 

 

"One day, a tired traveler knocked on her door asking if he could stay to rest. She agreed; happy to have someone give her company. When it became time for the man to leave, he revealed that he was a magical wizard that would grant her any wish to reward her kindness." 

 

The boy's eyes slowly opened for a moment at the mention of a wizard. Stan smiled as he continued. 

"She thought about all the things she could wish for, finally settling on something. She wished that anyone who touches her tree, or the fruit on it, would become stuck to it until she grants them permission to leave. The wizard granted her wish and continued his traveling. Now, whenever mischievous children would try to steal her fruit, they would become stuck to the tree like glue. She would keep them there until they learned their lesson to not take something that doesn't belong to them without asking first. Soon, children stopped showing up to steal, but now no one ever came around. Without the thieves or any visitors, all Misery had was herself and her tree, whose fruit didn't bear as well anymore since no one was there to pick any off. Misery was too old to be able to pick the fruit herself. Then one day, another traveler came to her door. But this traveler was dressed in a black cloak and held a scythe. He was Death. Misery knew her time was up but she didn’t want to leave. So, she asked Death to pick one last fruit from her tree since it was the only thing she had. Death agreed, allowing the old lady to have her last request. But once he grabbed the fruit, he realized his hand was stuck! Death pleaded with the lady to set him free. There were other deaths scheduled, and even more to come in the future, that he needed to take care of. He couldn’t stay stuck to the tree forever. He had to do his job or no one else would die. Misery thought carefully and offered a deal to Death.”

 

Georgie moved slightly at the sound of a deal.

 

“She would set him free _only_ as long as he promises to never come for her. After a while, Death decided he had no other choice but to agree. Once free, Death left and never returned to take her life. So now, Misery and Death are the only things that will always be around.”

 

At some point, Georgie fell asleep. The teen carried him to one of the chairs in a waiting area where he sat down, holding the boy. Stan sighed quietly as he watched him. A part of him wished he had been in Richie’s position. That option wasn’t available anymore since he now had Georgie to care for. He now understood how Bill felt. The stress of feeling the need to take care of someone so precious because no one else is around to do it. Stan wished for Bill’s quick return. Georgie needed him.


	32. Bill's File

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While researching asylums, I found some forms and reports that would be used on patients. So, here's Bill's! :3 
> 
> I'll also make assessments for Georgie for when he goes to therapy but those will be next week x3

**OFFICAL CLINICAL CARD**

 

NAME: ______WILLIAM “BILL” DENBROUGH_______

 

IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 003897

 

MENTAL STATE on Admission: ____Patient is exhibiting nervous shock and signs of psychological disturbances. Hallucinations and delusions have been recorded. ____

 

DATE on Admission: 12/17/1988

 

DIAGNOSIS on Admission: Schizophrenia

 

HAIR: Brown

EYES: Green

HEIGHT: 5’5”

WEIGHT: 101.0 lb. 

AGE: 13

 

NOTES FOR NURSE: Patient exhibits vocal stutter and signs of grief. Examine for signs of self-harm periodically and monitor for harm to other patients.

Administer medication once daily.

If signs of harm occur, to self or others, or if hallucinations and delusions persist, administer a controlled shock. Maximum number of shocks: 3

If behavior does not subside, restrain patient and administer sedatives via injection. Keep restrained for three days.

Admission Report

 

_Social Condition of Patient._

Condition

Single ………………………………………………………………………..……… **X**

Married …………………………………….......…………………………………....

Widowed …………………………………………………………………………….

 

_Supposed Cause of Insanity in Patient. Mark all that apply._

 

                                                           Moral Cause      

 

Adverse Circumstances ……………………………………………...…………… **X**

Anxiety ………………………………………………………………...……….…… **X**

Death of Husband ………………………………………………………………….

Death of Wife ……………………………………………………………………….

Depression ……………………………………………………………………….... **X**

Domestic Trouble …………………………………………………………..…...… **X**

Fright ……………………………………..…………………………………….…… **X**

Greif ………………………………………………………………….……..………  **X**

Isolation …………………………………………………………………..…………...

Jealousy ……………………………………………………………………………….

Religious Excitement …………………………………………………………………

Love Affairs / Seduction ……………………………………………...……………...

Nostalgia ………………………………………………………………………………

Worry ……………………………….………………………………………………. **X**

Physical Cause

 

Amenorrhea ………………………………………………………......…………….

Apoplexy ……………………………………………………..………………………

Change of Life ………………………………………………………………..……. **X**

Congenital ………………………………………………………………….……….

Disease of Brain ………………………………………………………….………..

Epilepsy …………………………………………………………………..………....

Excess of Opium ………………………………………………………..………….

Fever ………………………………………………………..……………………….

Hereditary …………………………………………………………..……………….

Injury to Head ……………………………………………………………………….

Intemperance (Alcohol) ……………………………………………..……………..

Intemperance (Sexual) ……………………………………………………………..

Masturbation ……………………………………………………………………... **X**

Paralysis ……………………………………………………………………………..

Physical Abuse …………………………………………………………………... **X**

Predisposition ……………………………………………………………………….

Pregnancy ………………………………………………………………………...…

Puberty …………………………………………………………………………… **X**

Overwork of Brain ………………………………………………………………….

Old Age …………………………………………………………………………….

Self-Abuse …………………………………..……………………………..……. **X**

Senility …………………………………………………………………………….

Sexual Abuse …………………………………………………………………….

Sun Stroke ……………………………………………………………………….

Venereal Disease …………………………………………………………………

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**PROGRESS NOTE**

Date of exam: 2/17/1989

Time of exam: 10:33:15 AM

Patient name: Denbrough, William “Bill”

Patient identification number: 003897

 

 **ASSESSMENT:** Bill shows no treatment response yet. He continues to exhibit signs and symptoms of psychotic process. Symptoms continue unchanged. Psychotic symptoms seem to be chronically present. Delusions of a clown are reported by Bill. A suspicious demeanor and other signs of paranoid process have been observed.

Bill expresses separation anxiety and depression. Patient appears to be grieving. Signs of homesickness have been recorded. He denies manic symptoms.

Compliance with medication is irregular. His self-care skills are intact and unimpaired. His relationships with family and friends have ceased. There have been outbursts or expressions of anger and frustration. There have been continued instances of impulsive behaviors. Sleep was not continuous and not completely restful. Less than three hours of sleep was achieved. Bill insists on reoccurring nightmares. Claims of a clown apparition and voice are continuously reported.

 

** Level of Care Justification:  **

Bill continues to need treatment. He continues to exhibit symptoms of emotional disorder that interfere with day to day functioning and is in need of medication management.

 

 **MENTAL STATUS:** Bill is guarded, wary, distracted, minimally communicative, casually groomed, and tense. His speech is hesitant and interrupted by a continuous stutter. Language skills were not formally tested. Demeanor is glum. Facial expression and general demeanor reveal depressed mood. He denies having suicidal ideas. Continued watch is advised. Psychotic or borderline psychotic process is present. Bizarre disorder.

Bill refused vital signs today. He insists there is excessive pain and inappropriate touching during examinations. He displayed uncooperative behavior during the examination.

Homicidal ideas or intentions are convincingly denied. Cognitive functioning is intact. Short and long-term memory is intact, as is ability to do arithmetic calculations. This patient is fully oriented.

Social judgment is poor. Bill is irritable in a way that is suggestive of anxiety. He is easily distracted.

 

** DIAGNOSIS: **

Schizophrenia, Paranoid type, 295 30 (Chronic)

 

** INSTRUCTIONS / RECOMMENDATIONS / PLAN:  **

Short Term Goals: Bill will express paranoid ideas or delusions less than 3-5 times per week. Target Date: 3/9/1989

Some progress in reaching these goals and resolving problems seemed evident today. Recommend continuing the current intervention and short-term goals. It is felt that more time is needed for the intervention to work.

 

** MEDICATIONS:  **

#1) Increase Clozaril 500 mg

#2) Continue Diazepam 12.5 mg

#3) Continue Ultram 50 mg

#4) Start Alprazolam 100 mg


	33. A Letter to Georgie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still working on the next chapter. It's going to be another long one :3 In the meantime, have this letter!

_My dearest,_

_I’ve missed you very, very much since that last night we were together. I’ve been turning it over and over in my mind lately. I still can’t help but to feel regret and guilt from what I’ve done. I wasn’t fully in control… I just hope one day you can forgive me. I never meant for any of this to happen._

_I’ve read your letter at least four times and I’ll probably read it more times before I’m through. I’ve been sitting here; looking at your letter and getting more homesick every minute. I’ve wanted that letter more than anything else except, of course, you yourself. I keep thinking of you. Keep wishing I could be home with you. I want to leave in the worst possible way so I can come home to see you, but things don’t look so good in that subject. I’m trying so hard, but it seems Pennywise is attacking me even more now that I’m alone. I guess Pennywise has spoiled a lot of things for the both of us... I hope your therapy sessions are going well. I want to hear all about them._

_I miss you. God, I miss you so much. I’ve never been so lonesome in my life as I am right now. I’m completely lost without you. I never realized I could miss any one person so much. I just hope it won’t be too much longer until I’m able to be with you again and live a sane and normal life._

_I love you so much. I always have and I always will. Please don’t stop writing to me. I need to know you’re okay, and I need you to know how much you mean to me. I count down the days until your next letter._

_Yours,_

_Bill_

 

 

[the letter was never received]


	34. A Letter to Bill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Georgie's letter written to Bill :3 <333

_Dear Billy_

_It got so bad when you left. I miss you. I’m scared without you._

_I barely see mom anymore. She works a lot now during the day. I have to start seeing therapists when school starts back. I wish you could come with me._

_Please come home soon. It doesn’t feel like home without you. I don’t like being home._

_I want you for Christmas._

_I love you._

_-Georgie_

 

[The letter was written in purple crayon. A few hearts litter the page.]


	35. Carol of the Hells

Everything seemed suddenly darker like it was night time **.** The teen could have sworn it was daylight only a moment ago. The sun must be in a hurry to set. Bill slowly opened the front door of his house. He felt nervous to go in, but he didn't know why. The latch on the door echoed loudly as the teen stepped inside.

"Billy!"

The teen was immediately attacked by Georgie's hug. The boy giggled uncontrollably and squeezed his brother's waist. He nuzzled his stomach affectionately. "You're finally back!! I've missed you so much!"

Bill smirked softly down at the boy. His emotions oddly felt diluted. He hoisted his brother up to hold on his hip. "I missed you, too, Georgie..." The child seemed weightless in his arms. 

Georgie smiled into his brother's eyes before he squirmed, wanting to be set down. His smile vanished, and he looked to be distressed. Bill complied, watching Georgie run off once he was placed.

"Come play with me!"

Bill noticed the orange sunlight begin to fall behind to the black shadows of the windowpanes. "We can't play right now, Georgie. It's late. We need to go to bed."

The boy didn't seem down in the slightest. His smile had returned as if it was a permanent feature on his face. "But I don't wanna sleep!"

"You have to." The teen placed his hand on Georgie's shoulder to move him up the stairs. "We'll play tomorrow. I promise."

"You promised you'd come back but you never did. You left me. You left me with  _him_..." The child looked up at his other brother, his smile contradicting his depressed words. Something was off. His smile didn't look natural, but it also wasn't fake. It almost seemed inhuman the way it was positioned. As odd as it looked, the grin was genuine delight. Meanwhile, the eyes were windows to betrayal and sadness. Something moved in the boy's eyes as if they were showing the events that caused the pain. 

Bill blinked and shook his head to break out of the trance. He felt dizzy and off balance. The teen kept his feet firmly planted and returned his eyes to his brother. "What do you mean? I came back. I'm right here..."

The boy completely disregarded what Bill said. He didn't address anything that was previously said. His facial expression matched a natural one. "Can I sleep with you?" He grabbed Bill's hand and intertwined their fingers, pulling him the rest of the way up the stairs. The stairs felt longer than they should have been. 

The teen smiled softly and nodded. "But only if you sleep." Nothing registered to him as being odd. While he had Georgie's hand, his dizziness and worries vanished.

Georgie abandoned his brother's hand and excitedly ran ahead of him to Bill's room. Once the teen stepped in the threshold, he felt incredibly sleepy while his unsteadiness returned. He carefully made his way over to the bed where Georgie sat with legs crossed. 

"You have to sleep, Georgie..."

The boy didn't say anything, and his smile never left his face. He watched as the teen crawled on the bed and lied down. 

Bill didn't know why he was so tired. He closed his eyes for a couple seconds before opening them again, trying his hardest to fight the urge to sleep. Georgie stayed in place, watching Bill. 

The teen closed his eyes again. He felt safe with Georgie. Moments later, he heard a small creak on the bed from Georgie's movement. Bill's eyes were still shut but somehow he was watching the child crawl onto him. He tried his best to open his eyes once Georgie straddled him. The teen tried to murmur his brother's name but wasn't sure if it was heard. Bill finally managed to pry his eyes open when he felt the child's hands wrap around his neck. Georgie's eyes were completely black, his face full of anger, as he tried to strangle Bill in his sleep. The teen wasn't able to choke any words out as he fought to get him off. The boy was stronger than he should have been. 

"YOU LEFT ME!" The child shouted as he choked his brother. His voice wasn't completely human but had the sweet undertones to make it register as Georgie's voice. "I HATE YOU!"

Bill's eyes suddenly shot open as he gasped loudly. He blinked to release a stream of tears down his cheeks. The teen slowly sat up and looked around the crowded room he was in. It was early; the sun not completely up yet. The room was still dark and most of the patients were asleep. There were only a couple awake. One sat on the floor in front of the curtain-covered window. He was rocking back and forth while mumbling numbers to himself and scratching at the floorboards. The teen noticed someone else touching himself quietly.

Bill tugged his knees to his chest as he cried harder while trying to stay quiet. He cried into his knees, remembering his dream and feeling guilty for abandoning his brother.

He hadn't been at the asylum long, only a week, but it was hell so far. He didn't belong in there. He belonged back home with his brother. If Georgie had been there with him, on their arrival the boy would have boasted that the building looked like a giant castle. He probably would have been excited for the brief moments before being brought inside to the hell that went on.

Bill hoped that he could at least avoid Pennywise while being gone but that wasn't the case. The clown still tormented him. The more he tried to explain to the nurses that he was being haunted, the more shocks and medication they forced into him. He didn’t like the medication. It made him feel foggy and weighed down. It made him feel disconnected from reality and his emotions.

The teen sighed tiredly as he crawled off the bed as quietly as he could. The last thing he wanted to do was to disturb anyone. Bill’s bed was the second one from the door on the left side when walking in. He was thankful for that. He didn’t want to be completely surrounded by the crazies he was forced to share a room with. There were twelve of them in the room; six beds on each side. Above each bed were clocks that barely seemed to move. The teen was convinced some of them were completely stopped. The others all showed different times; leaving him to wonder which one was correct.

Bill wiped his eyes as he walked out of the room. Although he didn't want Georgie to be in such a vile place, he wished his brother was with him. He needed a friend. 

"Couldn't sleep, Billy?~" The clown chuckled as he acted as the teen's shadow. 

"Sh-Shut up!" He hissed back, meeting eyes with someone who was just sitting in a chair at the end of the hallway. The man didn't say anything.

"S-Sorry... N-Not you. I m-m-meant someone else..." 

The man watched the young teen quickly walk away; alone. He couldn't see the clown stalking him. No one could. 

Pennywise laughed louder and Bill covered his ears. Further up the hallway was a nurse on his left with a cart and another patient on his right, hugging the wall for support. 

"What's the matter, Billy?~" 

Bill ignored the clown and turned his eyes to the nurse, wanting some kind of relief from his demon. "H-Hey, ca-"

"Go back to bed," The nurse said coldly. She glanced to the boy from the syringe she was drawing up when he continued to walk to her. Her pissed off glare made Bill not go any further. "I'm not your nurse, kid. I got my own room of pests to deal with. Go back to your room."

"B-B-But he w-won't leave me alone..." Bill pleaded, pointing to the clown that was poking him in the head. Someone had to believe the clown was there. Someone  _had_ to.

The nurse didn't see anyone with the teen. She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes, placing the syringe on the cart and pulling out a paper and pen from the pocket of her apron. "Name."

Bill blinked, taking a moment to fully register what the woman wanted. "Oh. B-B-Bill Denbrough..."

She scribbled down his name then looked at him, scribbling a few more things down. She took note of his behavior and his stutter. When she finished, she tore the paper off from the notepad and stuck it back in her pocket. She would give it to his nurse. "Okay." She said it in an annoyed tone that encouraged Bill to move further away from her. 

Suddenly, the patient that had been using the wall became more vocal. He vomited harshly on the floor. Bill flinched then turned to the nurse who rolled her eyes, taking the cart with her to another room. The patient was too weak to continue standing so he collapsed in his own mess. No one helped him. 

Bill felt a little bad for continuing on his way. 

"Just gonna leave him helpless like that?" Pennywise asked, walking beside the teen. The clown looked down at Bill. "Kinda like how you left Eddie to die?"

Bill was silent as he thought about Eddie. He completely forgot all about him. For some reason the memory of his friend had been blocked that night. He was so distracted by everything else. All the memories flooded back as if it happened yesterday. The teen brought a hand up to hold his head as a few tears fell. He swallowed heavily, not able to respond.

"How about when you left all your friends to pay your price?" Pennywise asked. "If you would have just died like you were supposed to, they'd all be safe and sound.” He chuckled. "What about how you left Georgie to live in your absence? ..." The clown couldn't help but to grin. "You're really good at abandoning people who need you. I guess I was wrong~ Maybe you are more like your mom~ You don't do anything to help someone... You just run away because it’s easier for you." 

Bill stopped walking. Memories and guilt weighed him down to where it was too difficult to keep moving. He wished none of this ever happened. A small thought in the back of his head was encouraging him to wish he had died to spare everyone else. Finally, his guilt tormented him enough to look back. 

The patient was breathing heavily and pleading softly for someone to help him.

The teen stood there for a moment before returning to him. "H-Here..." Bill cautiously extended a hand to him. 

The other patient weakly looked up. He looked passed the teen and towards the entity behind him. He only looked at It for a second before quickly looking down. He was too scared to look up again. He didn't see a clown. Instead, he saw the manifestation of his own fear, but it was linked to Bill as if the teen was the cause of it. "Go away!" The man swatted his hand and tried to crawl away on his knees. 

Bill frowned. "I'm j-j-just trying to help!"

"I don't want your help, demon!" The man shouted louder between heaves. He continued to yell that there was a demon and he needed help. 

"What are you doing?!" Another worker finally came to investigate the commotion. He narrowed his eyes at Bill. 

Bill jumped when he heard the worker's voice. He quickly turned to him and shook his head. "N-Nothing! I w-was j-just trying to h-help..." He stepped out of the way so the man could tend to the patient on the floor. Bill didn't want to stay any longer. He quickly ran off to the bathroom. 

The bathrooms were one of the least sanitary areas in the entire building. He sighed softly as he went up to one of the chipped mirrors. There was someone else messing with his eye at the end of the counter, but Bill ignored him. The teen looked at himself. He looked completely drained. He was dressed in a dark grey sweatshirt with matching sweatpants. All the patients wore them. Males wore dark grey; females wore a dull, light grey. 

Pennywise wasn't with Bill anymore but the teen was left remembering everything he said. He remembered Eddie. He remembered the look of horror in his eyes as he fell; he knew his only lifeline let go and he was falling to his death. Bill couldn't recall exactly  _why_  he let go. He sighed shakily, closing his eyes as more tears fell. 

His memories were toxic, but he couldn't resist from replaying them. He remembered killing his father. He remembered almost killing Georgie immediately after. 

"You have really pretty eyes."

Bill jumped a little when he was abruptly brought out of his mind. He looked over at the boy standing close to him. He was the guy that was a few sinks down from him earlier. He smiled politely. He looked to be a few years older than Bill. 

"Wh-What?"

"You're eyes." The teen smiled. "They're really pretty. I love green eyes... I've always wanted them."

"Oh..." Bill wasn't really sure how to respond. "Th-Thanks..."

"My name is Darien. What's yours?" 

Darien was taller. Speaking of eyes, he had one brown eye and one blue one. It was definitely odd to look at. The blue eye in particular seemed the most out of place. The brown one seemed normal. It matched the teen's light brown hair, but the blue eye was odd. It was a deep, sapphire blue but it looked unresponsive. It seemed like it belonged to a completely different person. 

Bill nibbled on his bottom lip and looked back down to the stained sink. He didn't want to stare too much at him in fear it would set him off. "I'm B-Bill..." He mumbled. 

Darien tilted his head slightly as he watched him. "You're new here. I saw when they brought you. Are you here because you stutter when you speak?"

The younger teen shook his head. He wasn't sure what he should tell him. "I'm h-h-here by m-mistake." He looked at him, not expecting the kind nod of understanding. "I'm s-supposed to leave in s-s-six months."

"Oh..." Now Darien understood. Bill was sentenced there by a court rather than just abandoned by family. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news but... don't get your hopes up too high."

"Wh-What do you mean? ..." He frowned, needing Darien to explain. 

"I was supposed to only be here for 3 months for some testing. That was 2 years ago." 

Bill swallowed, not wanting to believe the other boy. He shook his head and Darien only smiled patiently. 

"When you're sent here by a court, at the end of your sentence they mail a form to your family. That form is signed by the doctor here saying you're  _normal_." He used air quotes for the word. "When that form is sent, there's a window of time your family has to come get you. They have to have that form with them otherwise they won't release you. If, for some reason, no one comes for you in that window of time, you're considered abandoned. They're  _supposed_ to send anyone under 18 to an orphanage but..." Darien shrugged. "No one wants to adopt a kid that was in an asylum. And no orphanage wants to take in a kid who's been in here. So, you stay here until you're an adult. If... you survive that long." He smiled apologetically. 

Bill didn't know what to say. He just kept shaking his head. "N-No... No. I  _h-h-have_  to get home! I-I-I can't w-wait to become 18."

"How old are you now?"

"Th-Th-Thirteen..."

"Ah." Darien nodded. "You got a little way to go... I really hope you get out in six months." The teen was genuine in his wish. "Just... Be careful... The nurses here don't like to deal with our mail." He smirked sadly. "You're lucky if you receive a letter or anything."

"Th-That's not f-fair..." Bill couldn't believe the hell he was in. It was only getting worse. The idea of not coming home to Georgie in six months was brutal. "I h-have to get out..." He whispered to himself, not realizing he was speaking out loud. 

"I'll help any way I can." Darien smiled. "For now, get as much sleep as you can. Your body is going to need that more than anything."

Bill sighed and let out a frustrated whine. "Th-Thanks..." 

Darien gave him a gentle smile before he left the bathroom. Bill sighed even heavier as he returned his attention to his depressed reflection. 

“I h-h-hope Georgie’s day is g-going b-better…” He teen wondered what he was doing. All sense of time and days had been stripped away from Bill when he entered the asylum. They took his clothes, watch, and ring. He missed the ring the most. He wondered if Georgie still had the matching one.

Georgie felt lost without his brother. He felt directionless and alone. Many times, he identified as being on a small boat in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight. There was always a great white shark circling in the murky water beneath him. Sometimes the water would be fairly calm. Other times, the waves would be massive when a storm came. No matter what the weather, he was always alone.

Today was a calmer day. The boy anxiously clutched his necklace, thumbing the ring on it. It was only a week till Christmas and nothing was decorated. Zack always put up all the lights, got a real tree, and did all the other decorations that were placed on the outside of the house. Sharon would take a week off for Christmas to decorate the inside of the house and do last-minute shopping. Bill and Georgie always got to place the ornaments on the large tree. But Bill and Zack were gone. The house was bare and depressed. Sharon was forced to get a second job just to afford the house they lived in, so she was rarely home.

 

It didn’t feel like Christmas this year. There were a lot of aching hearts in Derry this month. Everyone whose child has gone missing were spending a very different Christmas. A Christmas that brought sadness and pain instead of joy and peace. Georgie was the cause of it all. At least, that’s how he felt.

The boy sighed shakily, placing his crayon down and looking at the page. He read over the letter before neatly folding it and placing it inside of an envelope.

A knock on the door tore the boy away from the coffee table. He padded quietly amongst the lonely house, opening the door for Stan. The teen smiled softly at the boy.

“Hey, Georgie. You look sleepy.”

“I’m sad…” The boy sighed with a pout, turning to go back to retreat in the house. He wasn’t able to identify his emotion as depression.

Stan looked pained. He knew the boy was more than just sad. It hurt him to know a young kid was depressed.

“Did you finish Bill’s letter?”

“Yeah!” Although the boy tried his hardest to be in a good mood, it was difficult. His smile didn’t come close to matching one whenever he was with Bill. Georgie handed the letter to him. “Did you write one, too?” 

Stan gave him another smile as he neatly addressed the envelope for him. “Not yet but I will. I’ll send him one updating him on everything. Is your mom working?”

“Yes.”

The teen didn’t like the idea of Georgie staying home by himself but there was nothing that could be done about it. The boy went from being by Bill’s side constantly to being alone. Stan supposed he couldn’t really fault Sharon. She was working to pay for everything. Besides, he didn’t mind watching Georgie. He just hated seeing him in pain. “Do you know what time she’ll be home?” 

Georgie hummed in thought then remembered the note she left him. He quickly went to the fridge, pushing a magnet off the small paper. Stan walked over to meet the boy. He took the paper from him to read the note. She wasn’t going to be home until late again. The teen placed the note back on the fridge.

“Will you stay with me until she comes home?” The boy asked, not taking his eyes off him.

“Don’t want to be home by yourself?” He asked with a gentle smile.

“I don’t want to be home at all.” He said bluntly.

Stan gave him an understanding pout then he handed Bill’s letter to him. “Come on. Let’s take this down to the mailbox.” The teen helped Georgie get dressed for the cold before walking down the driveway with him.

The boy was quiet, staying within his own thoughts as he approached the tall mailbox. Stan watched him with a silent smirk as he used his tiptoes to peek inside the box before placing the letter carefully inside. Then he remembered something. “Oh, wait. Did you write your letter to Santa yet? We can mail that one too.” Stan’s family didn’t celebrate Christmas, but he knew Georgie’s did.

The child avoided eye contact as he lifted the little, red flag on the box. He didn’t particularly want to message Santa. He felt too ashamed of all the things he did for Pennywise. “…I didn’t write one,” He said faintly, not wanting to stay on the subject long.

Stan frowned sadly. “Why not?”

“I haven’t been very good this year…”

Stan lifted the boy up to hold on his hip. “What are you talking about? You’re the best-behaved kid I’ve ever met.”

Georgie quickly shook his head then looked away. He looked like he was close to crying. Stan rubbed his back.

“You want him to bring you Bill, huh?” The teen asked in a mumble. The child didn’t answer but he didn’t have to. His slight tremble was enough of an answer.

“Can we go back inside?” He mumbled.

“Is your mom going to get a tree this year?” Stan tried moving off the subject of Santa, but he wanted to keep it on Christmas. He didn’t want Georgie to go without a Christmas.

“I don’t think so.” Georgie sighed. “She hasn’t had time to put any Christmas stuff up.”

“Well, why don’t we go look for a little tree or something?”

The boy didn’t really feel like going but he didn’t protest it as Stan carried him.

By the time they got to a local tree yard, the teen placed Georgie down. “This is pretty neat, huh?” 

Georgie didn’t respond. He slowly drifted behind Stan. He kept his gaze lowered, not able to bring his eyes up to the happy decorations and the maze of trees. Blue Christmas was playing on a small radio to lift the moods of those who were browsing for the perfect tree. He focused on the song as he didn’t want to focus on anything else. Georgie remembered asking Bill last year why there were so many sad Christmas songs. Bill told him that for some people Christmas was a sad time. Georgie never understood how that could be possible until now.

The boy’s thoughts were interrupted when he bumped into something. He looked up. It was a giant decorative reindeer. It was white silver with gold antlers. It was much taller than Georgie. The child only came to the deer’s chest. Georgie didn’t know why he felt such an attachment to it. He wrapped his arms around its neck and squeezed it tight.

“Hey, Georgie, look at this.” Stan stopped at one of the small trees then glanced down for the boy that was no longer beside him. He panicked for about three seconds before he spotted Georgie clinging to the deer as if it was his brother. He smiled sadly, noticing him tremble as he fought back tears.

Georgie sniffed and opened his eyes when he felt he was being lifted up. Stan carefully placed the boy on the reindeer’s back. Georgie scooted closer to its neck and leaned his head against the deer’s. “I want it…” He mumbled punily.

Stan checked the price tag and cringed. “We could find a tree cheaper than this! …Why don’t we keep looking for something else?”

The boy shook his head and clung to the reindeer tighter.

Stan sighed heavily. “Well… I don’t have enough to get this… Maybe Santa will bring you it?”

Georgie had little faith that Santa would bring him anything. He shook his head then slowly dismounted the reindeer. “I want to go home…” All the Christmas stuff only made him sadder.

“You don’t want to keep looking at the trees?” Stan asked. Georgie shook his head again, keeping his eyes on the ground. The teen ran his hand through the boy’s hair before taking him home. Stan couldn’t help but to wish Bill was there. Bill or Beverly would be able to work with Georgie better than he was. He did his best but wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t know how to play Santa like Bill did. 

Stan did as Georgie wished and took him back home. The boy hurried inside for his room. He swiftly bypassed Bill’s room as if it was bad luck to stop and look at it. Stan slowly followed him into his room. Georgie was already on his bed, his back to him.

“Do you want to do anything else today?”

“No.” The boy didn’t even give it any thought. Stan sat on the bed next to him and gently rubbed his back. After a couple silent moments, the teen left the room to give him privacy. 

Much to the boy’s dismay, the week flew by. Without proper preparation, the boy was found on Christmas Eve. Georgie was proud of himself for actually getting out of bed. He made his way downstairs where he found his mother getting ready to leave. “I thought you got to stay home for Christmas...” He said quietly and pitifully. 

Sharon turned around, expecting Georgie to have still been asleep. “Oh, you’re up already.”

“Are you leaving?” The boy asked, already knowing the answer.

She waited a moment, debating on answering. “...Yes.”

“But you said-”

“I know what I said, Georgie!” Sharon sighed, immediately regretting having snapped after seeing the hurt in her son’s eyes. “But the office called and I have no choice but to go in. It’s just to finish some things up. I shouldn’t be gone more than a couple hours. I’ll be back by lunch.” She slipped her coat on and reached for the doorknob.

“Promise?” Georgie asked before she had a chance to escape. Sharon sighed again.

“Yes... I promise.” With that, she left. 

Lunchtime soon came but Stan was the one to return to Georgie. “How are you today?” The teen asked. A small grunt was the only response. Stan chuckled and ruffled Georgie’s hair. He looked around as he walked inside. “Well, I wanted to come by to say merry Christmas Eve.” His smile faltered slightly when he saw the house still wasn’t decorated. “You and your mom haven't started decorating yet?”

The boy shook his head. “She went to work...”

Stan frowned then hummed slightly. “Well... We can decorate when we get back.”

Georgie raised an eyebrow. “Get back from where? Where are we going?”

“I thought you and I could go see your dad’s grave and see the others.”

The boy made an awkward, uncomfortable noise and shook his head, searching for anything else other than the teen’s eyes. “I... I don’t want to do that...”

“I know...” He whispered. Stan knew fully well it would be painful and a lot to place on him but he also knew Georgie couldn’t just avoid it all. “But it’ll be good for you. It’ll be good for both of us. We won’t stay long; I promise.”

The boy still wasn’t persuaded. Stan smirked and pulled out different colored candy canes. “I have some candy if you go.”

Georgie stared at the brightly colored candy/ “...I guess we could go for a few minutes. It  _is_ Christmas, after all.” 

Stan laughed and waited for him to get his coat on, rewarding him with a candy cane of his choice before they started on their way.

At the cemetery, Georgie became visibly uncomfortable. Stan predicted this but it was also the exact reason he wanted to bring the boy. He didn’t want him to be uncomfortable and hide from it all. He wanted him to be able to face situations even when they’re tough.

Stan held Georgie’s hand as they walked up the hill. They went to Zack’s grave first. The teen didn’t say anything, wanting the boy to take his time. Georgie placed the candy stick in his mouth then anxiously tugged on the ring necklace he had. He never removed that necklace. It reminded him of Bill and Beverly. He thought of Bill because he had the matching ring. He thought of Beverly because she gave it to him and the chain was hers. He slipped his small thumb in the ring, pulling it against the chain as he stared at the name etched into the tombstone. It made him sad to not have a dad. Even though things got so bad, there were the rare good times he had with his dad. It didn’t feel as good as he thought it would have to not have him around. He was missing something without Zack. He wasn’t entirely sure what it was. He was also missing it with Bill. The boy let go of his necklace to pull out the candy cane from his mouth. He bit the candy to distract himself from wanting to cry. “Okay...” He mumbled after a moment. “We can go now...”

Stan squeezed the boy’s hand then took him where Beverly and Richie were buried. Georgie was quietly in thought with each of them, turning things over in his head and remembering them. He never thought any of them would be gone. The rest of them had markers in the ground to represent them. Eddie, Mike, and Ben’s bodies were too mutilated to have a traditional funeral for them. There was simply a service in memory of them and small slates in the ground rather than a burial. Georgie didn’t really like to be reminded of all of Bill’s friends that died. It made him feel bad since he felt responsible for it all. Finally, Stan decided they stayed long enough and took the boy home.

“I’m proud of you for going,” He told the boy. 

“Thank you...”

Stan petted his hair as they walked inside of his house. “Do you want to start decorating now?” 

“Not really,” Georgie mumbled, going straight for the stairs. “I want to go bed.” He felt too down and sad to decorate anything with Stan. He just wanted to sleep. 

Stan sighed, thinking of how he was going to make a miserable child happy again. He decided to search for where the Christmas decorations were stashed. Finally, after checking in the basement, he found a few boxes labeled X-mas. He opened the first box that held all sorts of ornaments. The teen sifted through them with a small smile. Some were very ornate and beautiful; obviously having been picked out by Sharon. There were a few traditional green and red ball ornaments. Stan paused when he found a red, sparkly reindeer. It made him think about that giant deer that Georgie wanted. The teen passed the ornament between his hands a couple times before he gave in. 

He placed the lid back on the box and went outside, heading for the local tree yard again. It had started to snow fairly quickly. Giant fluffs of snowflakes rained down. It covered the ground in a hurry. Stan soon picked up his walk to a brisk jot so he could get there and back before the snow became too heavy.

An entire savings of allowance and 20 minutes of begging to dismiss the remaining amount owed later, Stan purchased the outrageous reindeer. As he dragged the thing back with him through the snow, he still wasn’t able to convince himself it was a good investment. But Georgie wanted it for some crazy reason. Georgie deserved any he asked for. If he wanted the moon Stan would feel no choice but to try to obtain it for him. He just wished he was able to give him what he really wanted; Bill. A giant, plastic deer would have to be a sufficient substitute for now.

For the time being, he hid the deer in the Denbrough’s garage. He planned to drag it out for Georgie early Christmas when the boy was asleep. The teen resumed bringing out all the Christmas boxes from the basement. He didn’t have a tree to hang any of the ornaments so he simply found random things around the house he could place the hooks on. Next, he pulled out an entire mess of tangled Christmas lights. The teen sat in the floor for a while trying to untangle them all when he heard the phone ring. He went to the phone in the kitchen to answer the call, dragging the ball of lights behind him. The teen frowned as he listened and he looked out the window to confirm. 

“Oh... Okay.” He waited for a couple more moments. “Okay. Yeah, it’s no problem. I’ll tell him.” Stan bit his lip. “Okay. Bye.” He hung the phone up and sighed heavily. The call was from Sharon. She was stuck at work from all the snow. She would have to wait for it to calm down before she could leave. The teen shook his head as he looked outside, still fumbling with the lights. The snow was coming down in flurries. He just hoped, for Georgie’s sake, it would stop long enough for his mother to make it home.                 

Finally, he got the lights all free from each other but now he was left figuring out where to place them. They didn’t have a tree for the lights and it was still snowing pretty bad outside. He hummed in thought before deciding to brave the outside. It couldn’t possibly be  _that_ hard to do. 

Georgie couldn’t fall asleep but he still refused to leave his bed. He missed Bill. He missed Beverly. He missed everyone. The boy whined and buried his face in his pillow. He especially felt bad for Eddie. He wished he hadn't given him such a hard time before. He didn’t mean any of it in a bad way. He was only being playful but he wondered if Eddie knew that or not.

A sudden loud noise of something falling tore the boy from his thoughts. His first thought was Pennywise was trying to startle him for fun but when he didn’t see the clown he went over to the window. A small laugh escaped his lips and he ran out of his room to get outside.

Stan had slipped and fell as he tried carrying the lights up the ladder. So much snow packed on his face that he completely missed a step and fell backwards. Thankfully, there was enough snow packed on the ground to cushion his fall somewhat. 

“What are you doing?” Georgie asked as he walked outside, giggling at the sprawled-out teen.

All the lights re-tangled around themselves and himself. The snow quickly tried to bury the disaster that was Stan. “...I’m trying to make it Christmas...” 

Georgie giggled more. The teen was at least glad to hear the boy laugh for once. It’d been far too long since Georgie laughed or smiled. “Dad doesn’t do it like that.”

“Is that so?” The teen smirked and slowly got up. 

“I guess you really do need my help.”

Stan chuckled, brushing off the snow the best he could. “I really do. Maybe we should take a break to eat and then we’ll finish up."

“Okay!” Georgie was a lot happier and less weighed down with the thought of food, and he was willing to let decorations distract him for the time being. 

The snow never let up as they continued their day but they hardly noticed. The house didn’t look perfect, by any means, but it was the best they could do. The Christmas lights were strung sloppily around the house and tinsel and ornaments were makeshift nests and Easter eggs. Georgie was happy and proud of their “masterpiece” and that’s all Stan cared about. The teen only wanted to ensure the boy stayed happy and in a good mood.

When it became late, Georgie realized his mom still wasn’t home. “I wonder where mom is...”

“Oh yeah,” Stan just finished putting up the cookies the boy insisted on making onto a plate. “She called earlier. She got snowed in at her work so it might be a while before she can get home.” 

Georgie’s frown finally returned. He didn’t know why he actually expected his mom to keep her promise. No one seemed to be able to keep their promises to him. Stan handed the boy a cookie to try his best to get the smile back. “I’ll stay here with you.”

Georgie sighed and ate the cookie somberly. “I wish Bill was here...” 

“I know...” Stan gently petted his hair. “It’s only for a little while then he’ll be back.”

“Do you think he’s thinking about me?”

“I’m sure he hasn’t stopped once.” Stan smiled, seeing the boy lighten up slightly. “It’s pretty late; let’s get you to bed.”

He took the boy up to his room and tucked him in before turning out the light. Georgie fell asleep fairly easily while thinking about his brother so Stan returned to the living room. The teen sighed softly and leaned back on the couch. He closed his eyes for a moment, fulling intending to stay up longer but completely passed out.

Georgie was fully asleep until a loud noise woke him. It sounded like a loud crash on the roof. It was as if Rudolph and the rest all crash-landed. The boy blinked, trying his best to see in the dark. Within seconds, his fear multiplied so he had no choice but to turn on his lamp. He wasn’t surprised to see Pennywise looming in the far corner.

“What do you want?” The boy mumbled tiredly. 

The clown chuckled and walked towards Georgie’s bed. “I’ve been watching you today. It’s so stupid that you actually believe Bill is thinking about you.” He smirked. “But that’s not why I’m here.”

“Then what?”

“I want to show you something.” He curled a finger at Georgie to encourage him to get out of bed. The boy sighed heavily but he obeyed. He padded over to the window where Pennywise was now standing. It was still snowing. “I figured it’d be rude of me to not give you a Christmas present.”

“Is your present the snow?”

“No.” Pennywise said shortly. “I hate snow about as much as I hate you.” He picked the boy up from the back of his shirt and crawled out of the window with him.

Georgie squirmed and whined as he was being man-handled. "Let go!”

“Okay.” Pennywise dropped the boy in a pile of cold snow. He jumped down and landed beside him, chuckling at the boy’s growing hypothermia. “Better keep moving if you don’t want to freeze.” 

Georgie shivered as he climbed to his feet. “What-” The boy was too cold to finish his question but he didn’t need to. He followed the clown’s stroll, watching as his environment slowly start to shift into something darker and stranger. 

“You like that red-nosed reindeer, don’t you?”

“...You mean Rudolph? Yeah... Why?”

Pennywise stopped walking and clasped his hands behind his back. He smirked as the boy slowly trudged beside him. Georgie was about to ask again but then saw the reason. There was a creature standing in front of them. It was even taller than Pennywise. What brought the boy’s attention to it was the blood dripping from its face.

“Here you go~”

The boy’s eyes widened and he stepped behind Pennywise to hide from it. The thing was a ginormous skeleton of a reindeer with torn flesh still hanging on. Blood drenched its snout as it breathed angrily. The eyes were small red flames that were impossible to miss. The creature looked down at the boy and stomped, making the boy flinched and hide again. 

“Do you want to pet it?” Pennywise asked, picking the boy up again and lifting him closer to the creature’s face.

“No!” The boy squealed and squirmed violently. The creature screeched in Georgie’s face and tried to chomp the boy but Pennywise yanked him out of reach.

“You’re being very rude, you know.” The clown dropped him again from all the child’s squirming. “This is your gift.”

“I don’t want it!” The boy started to run back to the house but the clown laughed loudly. The environment shifted so now Georgie couldn’t find where the house was. He whined and searched desperately. The creature screeched again and charged after the child. Each step the Death Deer took was accompanied by bells. Not sweet Christmas bells; but depressing, heavy rings. Georgie yelped and ran as fast as he could. More creatures slowly sprung up from the snow and reached the for the boy’s ankles.

“Where are you going, snow bunny?~” The clown asked. In that instant, the clown transformed the boy into a small, white and grey rabbit. Georgie didn’t realize it until after he sunk all the way into the snow. In a way, it was a good thing because the giant deer galloped right over Georgie without even noticing him. The other black and slimy creatures also started to race by Georgie. He blinked, looking back to see rushing waves of snow coming straight towards him. He hopped as fast as he could but it wasn’t fast enough. He wasn’t able to hop above the snow enough to cover much ground. Even when he could hop forward, he would collapse and sink into the snow. He quickly decided to burrow in the snow as the avalanche was seconds away from him. For a split second, Georgie thought he was safe until all the force from the snow started to pull him away. The small rabbit was forced down a large fox hole, being packed in by the storm. He was completely buried but he was still able to hear Pennywise. 

The clown stepped over where he was buried. "Careful little one~" Pennywise granted the boy with his body back. Unfortunately, he wasn’t shielded from the cold like he was with rabbit fur. The clown burned a red timer into the snow, starting at 18:00. "You only have roughly 18 minutes of life left if you don't burrow your way out. I wonder which will come first~ Freezing to death or carbon dioxide poisoning?~" He said in a sick playful tone.    


Georgie started to panic as he tried to figure out which way was up. The hole he was in was narrow and deep. Attempting to turn around in it was difficult and grew his anxiety.   


"Ah, ah, ah..." The clown said as the timer ran down quicker. "Panicking will only make you die quicker. If that’s your goal, then you’re doing good."

   
Georgie held his breath for as long as he could try to calm himself and not breathe as much. It didn’t really make him feel any better. He had no idea how long he could survive or how long it had already been. He was so cold and shook as the clawed at the snow. He kept his arms extended up as high as he could, hoping to break the surface. Eventually Georgie was able to see an opening. With tears streaming down his face, he crawled out. He only got his head above the snow before Pennywise lifted him up to look at him. He was going to go in there after him if he took too long. "You made it! Congratulations~"   


The boy was still crying and shivering. He was too much of a mess to speak anything. He was terrified and cold. He was scared that he would have died before he ever found his way out.   


"I wouldn't have let you died," the clown continued, knowing the boy’s thoughts.   


"Y-You-You wouldn't?" His voice was quiet from the cold.   


Pennywise nodded with a smirk. "Of course, I’d save you~ Now I'm going to tell you a little secret... Your life is about to get a hell of a lot worse now that Billy is gone~ I'm going to make sure you stay alive so you don't miss out on a thing~" The clown grinned with all of his teeth.

 

The boy frowned. "...But he's coming back!"  


Pennywise hummed. "I'm sure you'll find a way to fuck that up. After all, you're the reason he was taken away."

 

Georgie frowned as he thought about it. He didn’t know what to believe. All he knew was he felt extremely guilty and he missed his brother so much. More tears fell as the clown half dragged, half carried the boy back to his home. The clown successfully tore the boy’s somewhat happy Christmas to shreds and that was his goal. He placed the boy gently in bed and covered him up. 

“Merry Christmas you little brat.” Pennywise smirked and flicked the boy’s forehead. 

Georgie whine and pulled the covers over his head until the clown finally left him. When Pennywise was gone, the boy hurried out of the room. He stopped himself when he got to Bill’s doorway. He was wanting to run to Bill but remembered that he wasn’t there. The boy whined some more then searched for Stan. He was still shivering like crazy and he curled up next to the teen before closing his eyes again. He wanted to sleep the pain and fear away. He wanted to sleep until Bill came back.

Stan woke up to Georgie snuggling against him. He yawned and looked down at the boy. “What are you doing?” He asked in a tiny mumble. Georgie didn’t answer, having been hovering in the haze of drifting to sleep. The teen felt how cold he was and scooped Georgie up to carry him back to his room where he could be warm.

While he was up, Stan quietly went to the garage to bring out the giant reindeer before he forgot all about it. He set it in the living room in lieu of a tree and wrapped the extra colorful lights around it. He also wrote a small note and left it at the foot of the deer. The note read:

_To: Georgie_

__

_Despite what you may think, you’re very good. Bad things may happen but you’re never alone, and none of those circumstances can ever change your true sweet nature. You’ll always be good._

__

_From: Santa_

Stan returned upstairs to lay down with the boy until morning finally came. He couldn’t bring the boy his brother back but he could at least be there for him until Bill returned.


	36. A Beautiful Lie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning so just be careful XD 
> 
> Also, there are some time-skips in this. I put little dashes “--” in places where there is a few weeks or months have gone by

Bill woke up to the sight of snow falling. Something childlike inside of him urged him to go straight to the window. Snow already littered the ground and there were no signs of it stopping. The teen bit his lip as complete sadness slowly filled him. Georgie loved snow. The teen sighed heavily, forcing himself to peel off the window. He didn’t want the aching memories of his brother staring him in the face. 

Bill yawned as he sluggishly wandered into the bathroom. He didn’t understand why he felt so incredibly drained and exhausted all the time. He felt like he’d been awake for days. The teen stared at his reflection, hating himself more and more as each moment passed. He missed Georgie. He wanted nothing more than to see him again. At least he had his letter, which he was ecstatic to have received and eagerly replied to. Now all he had to do was wait for his response. He hated the thought of waiting. It hurt his heart to be away from his brother. 

After a moment of staring at his reflection, he noticed something moving. He leaned in as close to the mirror as the counter would permit him. The red lines in the whites of his eyes were starting to move. He stared a little longer before he realized the red lines were actually red ants crawling all over his eyes. Bill yelped from surprise and immediately rubbed at his eyes to get the ants out. He swore he could even feel them crawling and biting. He quickly tried to claw out his eyes but Darien stopped him. 

 

“Hey! Stop! There’s nothing there!” Darien pried Bill’s hands away from his face. 

 

Bill blinked a few times then shifted his eyes in all directions to feel for the ants. They were no longer there. They never were. The teen was breathing heavily, and he looked at the other teen when he realized there were nothing in his eyes. 

“Wh-What...?” He looked back in the mirror to see his eyes were fine besides some irritation and lack of sleep. 

 

“I noticed you weren’t in your room so I went to come find you.” The older teen carefully looked Bill over. Bill looked confused and slightly disoriented. “You okay?” 

 

“I’m f-f-fine.” Bill just wanted to be alone. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, waiting impatiently for Darien to leave. He didn’t particularly like how Darien kept randomly popping up. 

 

His friend wasn’t convinced he was truly fine. He hummed softly and waited before moving on from him. “Maybe you should try to rest some more... It’s Christmas morning. Do you celebrate that?” 

 

Bill blinked and stared at the sink as he counted the days in his head. He returned his eyes to Darien. “Is-Is it r-really? Already?” 

 

He nodded happily with a smile. “Yep! No decorations are put up around here but a priest comes by! Christmas and Easter are the only times one comes here.” 

 

Bill scratched his neck. He didn’t care much for the priest. He didn’t even care to think about Christmas since he wasn’t with Georgie. He didn’t want to think about how alone the boy must feel. He just wanted to sleep forever. “Well, I-I think I'm j-just g-going to go b-back to bed...” The teen left the bathroom. 

 

“I think that’s a good idea.” Darien watched his friend leave. Bill didn’t bother responding. 

 

 

On his way back to his room, he looked down one of the hallways. There was a closed door in the middle of the hallway. During the day, the doors were open but at night they're closed off. Although the door was closed, it was rarely locked in case of emergency. They separated the boys and girls. Bill stopped to look at the doors. He remembered that Georgie would have been placed in the girls’ wing until he was a couple years older if he had joined him at the asylum. He hated how so many things reminded him of his brother. He really wished Georgie had been sent with him. He was willing to accept the risks that Georgie wouldn’t be ready for simply so the teen could be saved from so much heartache. It was a selfish and reckless wish; but one he was willing to make. 

 

Just as he was passing, he heard familiar laughing from children playing in the east wing. The teen stared at the closed door while he listened intently. He was trying his hardest to pin the voices to the people. The voices were too familiar to be random children. Bill walked to the dividing doors in the hallway and peered through the small window. He couldn’t believe what he saw. He quickly wiped his eyes and looked again. Sure enough, they were still there. The children looked to be Georgie and Lexi running around, playing in the empty hallway. They chased each other, laughing loudly as they played tag. 

 

The teen brought his hand to the glass and watch them closely as if they would vanish if he looked away. He mumbled Georgie's name ever so softly. It was him. It  _had_ to be him. All sense of logic was tossed to the side as Bill fully believed the beautiful lie in front of him. Georgie was there, happy and with Lexi. He didn’t notice the ever-present balloon tied to a doorknob. 

Another voice is what calmed the children from their playing. It was Brandy. She turned the corner and smiled softly at the kids who wandered too far. "Let's go back to our room..." Her voice was so light and airy as if it never existed. 

Lexi and Georgie quieted down and each took Brandy's hand, ready to go back. The older teen stopped just as she was about to turn the corner. She looked back, meeting eyes with Bill. Brandy stared at him with a slight tilt of her head. She looked confused then scared, as if she was seeing a ghost. She gripped tighter to the kids and briskly walked out of Bill’s sight. 

 

"W-Wait..." Bill whispered, pushing open the door. He wanted Georgie. He was determined to get to him. The latch from the door was obnoxiously loud; anyone nearby was alerted that the door had opened. Before the teen could successfully walk through, he was yanked back and onto the floor. He winced as his back collided to the cold, hard floor.  

 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" It was that permanently pissed off nurse. "Jesus, I need to tell your nurse to give you something to keep you asleep through the night... You're getting on my last damn nerve..." She wasn't joking as she wrote a note down.  

 

Bill blinked with confusion on why he was just thrown down as he stared up at her, then he glanced at the door. "I w-was j-just wanting to see my br-brother... I just w-wanted to be-be with h-h-him tonight..." 

 

The nurse rolled her eyes and put her note away in her pocket. "Bullshit. I know what you’re wanting to do."  

 

The teen had just started to pick himself up but the nurse swung her shoe in his chest, knocking him back down. She stepped on his neck to keep him down. "I better not catch you trying to sneak in there again, pest. The last thing I need is to have to abort one of your mistakes." She kicked him as hard as he could in the face, making his nose bleed. She left him there to bleed. 

 

 

Bill stayed on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. The pain in his face pulsed. He blinked a couple times when he noticed a small centipede crawling along the ceiling. For some reason he wasn’t able to truly tell if the bug existed or if it was all in his head. The reality seemed fake while the hallucinations felt real. The teen slowly sat up and looked behind him when he heard someone address him. 

 

“Demon!” 

 

It was the sick guy that Bill tried to help. He hadn't seen him in a while. The teen was glad to see him feeling better. Bill shifted on the floor to get a better angle to face him. He was just about to praise him for not being sick anymore, but the man quickly ran off. 

Bill watched him until he felt something drip into his lap. He looked down to find it was blood from his nose. He completely forgot about it. The blood pooled into his hands. The teen was easily distracted from the blood by returning his eyes to the ceiling to watch the centipede. Everything kept stealing his attention. The medicine he was on usually kept him busy for hours by just being hypersensitive to his surroundings and preventing him to stay focused. He was brought back to reality when the guy returned. He was clinging to the priest’s sleeve. 

 

“See?!” The guy insisted, pointing at Bill. “There’s a demon here!” 

 

The priest and Bill stared at each other for a long moment before the man turned to find some nurses. He mumbled something about a cleansing but the teen wasn’t focusing enough to hear him. 

He blinked, watching him leave. “B-But I’m n-n-not a demon…” The priest had already turned the corner when he said it. 

 

 

It wasn’t long before a few nurses returned, heading straight for Bill. They yanked him up to his feet and forcefully dragged him down the hallways. 

 

“H-Hey! Wait!” 

 

The priest was following where the nurses took him. “Don’t be alarmed, lost lamb. This is only a cleansing. After this you’ll be welcomed back into the herd.” 

 

The teen tried to fight back the nurses but his responses were slowed. They stripped him of his clothes and shoved him into a freezing bath. He didn’t get much chance to figure out what was going on. He was immediately pushed back into the water and held underneath. The teen desperately clung to the sides of the tub. One of the nurses had her hand wrapped around his neck and squeezing it. Right before he felt like he would surely drown, he was yanked back up from the water. He was allowed to gasp for air for only a second before he was shoved back down. This process repeated while the priest spoke in tongues.  

On the last time he was yanked up, he was kept up. The priest gripped his hair and shoved a rosary necklace in his face, the crucifix hitting him in the forehead. The teen was coughing up the water too much to focus exactly what the man was saying. By the time he caught his breath, the nurses dumbed a bucket of extremely hot water on him. Bill cried out from the pain, arching his back. The priest released him and Bill panted and shivered uncontrollably. Something from the corner of the room caught his eye. It was Pennywise snickering at the boy’s pain. The teen hissed a little bit and flinched when the priest slipped the necklace over his neck. 

 

No one bothered actually helping the teen to get up or to get him warm and dry. They just abandoned him to do it himself. Bill huffed and yanked the necklace off him, snapping the string and sending the beads flying. He dropped the rest in the water as he slowly got out of the tub. 

 

“Having a tough day, huh?” The clown asked. Bill refused to answer or acknowledge him. He wanted the day over. 

 

 

 

 --  
 

Christmas and New Years passed by as today was the first day Georgie was to meet one of his guidance counselors. He was nervous, wishing Bill was with him. He held Stan's hand as they walked in the building. With his free hand, he thumbed the ring on his necklace. They stopped when they reached the door. Georgie looked up at the teen with pleading eyes.  

"Can't you go in with me?" 

   
 

Stan gave him a small pout, squeezing his hand. "It'll be okay. It's only for an hour. I'll be right here when you get out." He ruffled the boy's hair before walking back to the waiting area.  

   
 

The boy squeezed his fingers anxiously as he watched Stan leave. He sighed shakily and knocked on the office door. He only had to wait a couple seconds before the door opened. Georgie walked inside with his eyes kept down. It wasn't until he was already inside when he recognized the voice and turned to look who it was.  

   
 

"Long time no see~ Did you miss me?" The man from behind the door slowly closed it. He had that same horribly sick sounding voice. It was a misleading voice. He also had that same smile that made Georgie so uncomfortable. He had the same sandy hair and the same tall height. He was the same man that impersonated one of his school counselors. The man that no one could find and assume Georgie was just making it all up.  

Georgie watched the sliver of escape slip away as the door latched. He swallowed heavily and immediately felt his heart rate rise.  

   
 

"Take a seat, little one." 

   
 

Georgie didn't want to. He kept his eyes glued to the man as he watched him slowly move to his desk. He couldn't believe what was happening. He never imagined he'd encounter him again.  

   
 

The man sat back in his chair, waiting for the boy to finally get tired of standing and come to the chair opposite of his desk. Georgie was trying his hardest to not panic. He felt like he was going to cry. He wanted Bill but the teen was the furthest away from him.    
 

"I missed you," the man said with a smirk.  

   
 

The boy didn't speak a word or remove his eyes from him. He was still in disbelief.  

   
 

"Are you scared?" He asked playfully, grin wide across his face.  

   
 

"No." Georgie lied. The boy swallowed as the man kept staring at him. "...Why are you here? ..." 

   
 

"I work here, stupid." He smirked again. "I'm your counselor to try to fix you. You're seeing this 'clown'." He used air quotes. "And that's not all that's wrong with you." 

   
 

Georgie frowned then started to search over the contents of his desk. He needed some kind of confirmation that he wasn't being lied to. There was a name tag sitting on the desk that said Sean Anderson.  

   
 

The man continued to watch him with a smile. "You can call me Sean. I think we know each other well enough to be on first-name basis. Isn't that right, Georgie?" He pulled out a folder from one of the drawers.  

   
 

The boy hated when he said his name. He didn't like the way it sounded.  

"Why were at my school?" He finally worked up the courage to ask. His voice broke about halfway through.  

   
 

The man chuckled. The child's discomfort was only amusing to him. "Looking for troublesome kids like you~" 

   
 

Georgie swallowed. "...I want someone else to be my counselor..." 

   
 

"Too bad! You're not getting anyone else." 

   
 

"...I'll..." Georgie searched the ground for more strength. He desperately clung to his necklace as if it would somehow summon his brother to jump through the window. He refused to call on Pennywise. He was too scared. He feared the clown wouldn't spare him if he wasn't stronger. "...I'll tell..." He squeaked.  

   
 

The man snorted, completely diminishing the boy's confidence. "That won't help you here, bunny. You see, no one believes you. You're crazy. You can't prove I was at your school. I have a pretty good alibi that says I was here and my attendance record shows I haven't missed a day once." His smile grew bigger as he watched the defeated boy. "And unless you have a recorder up your butt, you can't prove anything that happens in here." His smile quickly faded and he leaned in a bit. "If you do try to tell anyone I'll be sure you never speak again." 

   
 

"..." Georgie didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what to say or do. 

   
 

"That's okay. Be quiet as a mouse all you want." He grinned. "I like a challenge." He gave the boy a chance to speak but Georgie didn’t have anything to say. “You know what battery acid would do to a set of vocal cords?" 

   
 

Georgie slowly shook his head. 

   
 

"It wouldn't feel too good." Sean whispered with a smirk. "It'd be a real shame if something were to happen to you if you tried telling anyone..." He wanted to ensure the boy understood he wasn’t playing. 

   
 

"...Are you going to kill me?" He asked quietly.  

   
 

The man made a slightly disgusted face as he thought about it. "No. I prefer you alive. Although... if you do prove to be too troublesome, which I highly doubt, I can always send you to my friend. He's a special kind of doctor that lives far away from here. He makes people into living dolls. He typically only operates on young girls but I think he'd do me a favor with you. Again, that's only if I can't stand you and you threaten to squeal to anyone!" He smiled at him. "But I think I can easily break you myself." Sean returned his attention to the folder on his desk. "Do you know what this is?" He asked, holding it up. 

   
 

Georgie shook his head again. He didn't feel like talking. He felt so stuck.  

   
 

"It's your file." He smirked. "I'm technically not supposed to have this, another counselor which will talk to you about your family issues is, but that hasn't stopped me before." He flipped open the page and glanced it over leisurely. "That counselor sure is lucky... You have some major daddy issues." He looked up to see the boy's reaction. Georgie refused to show much or say anything.  

   
 

"Who gave you that nickname?" He asked, looking down at the boy's file again. "Since your name is George, who started calling you Georgie? Was it your daddy?" Sean's entire tone of voice made the boy want to cringe.  

   
 

"Billy did..." He finally mumbled.  

   
 

"Ah, the other interesting part of your story." The man chuckled softly. “Let’s see... You got daddy issues, brother issues,  _clown_ issues...” He laughed. “You sure are fucked up.” 

 

The boy frowned, playing with his fingers anxiously. 

 

“We’re going to do a few little tests; real simple stuff! Even a complete idiot like yourself will be able to answer these.” He smirked. “This is just to test your mental state. But first... This clown you’ve been seeing...” He placed a piece of paper and a box of crayons down. “Draw him.” 

 

Georgie bit his lip, not liking how closely the man was watching him. He reached for the box and opened it up. It was missing most of the colors. “I need a red...” The boy said softly. 

 

“Hmm...” Sean leaned back in his chair and opened one of the drawers. “You can come around here and look for it. It’s hard to know where those little things wind up...” 

 

“That’s okay, I’ll use blue.” There was no way in hell he was going to be baited into getting closer to the man. 

 

Sean hummed some more, leaning his elbows on the desk as he watched the boy doodle. “That wouldn’t be a very accurate picture if you use the wrong colors.” 

 

“I don’t really care...” He said cautiously. 

 

The man snorted. “Still a bad boy, I see.” 

 

Georgie shifted uncomfortably and doodled as quickly as he could. 

 

“Don’t rush,” Sean instructed. 

 

Once finished, he placed the crayon down. Sean looked over the drawing for a moment. “Well, you’re clearly not an artist.” He smirked and set the paper to the side as he got out another sheet. 

“Alright. Answer these questions for me. For the most part this will be an oral test and it’ll be graded.” 

 

That didn’t help Georgie’s anxiety. 

 

“What year is it?” 

 

“...1989,” He said quietly. He didn’t like oral tests. 

 

“What season is it?” 

 

“Winter.” 

 

“What month is it?” 

 

“January.” 

 

After each answer, Sean marked on the paper. “Repeat the following words: Car,” He allowed a second between each word. “Vase, brick.” 

 

Georgie licked his lips a bit. “Car, vase, brick.” 

 

“Next is serial sevens. I want you to count backwards from 100 by sevens.” 

 

“93? Um...” 

 

The man smirked. “Math not your strong suit?” 

Georgie shook his head. 

“Then spell ‘world’ backwards.” 

 

Georgie sighed softly.  “D-L-R-O-W.” He said the letters slowly and cautiously, not used to having to spell backwards. 

 

“Earlier I told you the names of three things. Can you tell me what those were?” 

 

“Car, vase, brick.” 

 

“Name this object for me.” Sean pointed to the pen he was writing with. 

 

“It’s a pen.” 

 

“And this one.” The man then pointed to his wristwatch. 

 

“Watch.” 

 

Sean marked more on his paper. “You’re doing very good! Now, repeat this phrase after me. ‘If I tell, I will die.’” 

 

Georgie swallowed heavily. “...If I tell, I will die...” 

 

The man smirked then handed the boy a piece of paper. “Grab this with your right hand, fold it in half, then place it on the floor.” 

 

The boy was starting to feel scared but he obeyed. 

 

“Now pick up that paper, unfold it, and do what the instructions say.” 

 

Georgie retrieved the paper from the floor. The instructions were “close your eyes.” The boy bit his lip and looked up at the man. “I... don’t want to...” 

 

“I didn’t give you an option.” 

 

 

 

When the boy’s horrid appointment ended, he rushed out of the room and collided against Stan. 

“Woah! What’s going on?” The teen held Georgie’s shoulders but he broke free and ran off. “Georgie!” Stan hurried after him. 

 

“Don’t call me that!!” He didn’t want that name anymore. He hated how it sounded after that man used it.  

Stan didn't understand what happened or what was wrong. Georgie refused to speak about it. It worried the teen immensely but all he could do was hold him close while he cried. 

 

 

 

   
 

Bill picked at his food. He was tired and didn’t feel like eating like usual. It’s officially been a month since the teen arrived at the asylum, although it felt like it had been much longer. He glanced across from him at Darien. He referred to him as a friend but questioned the actuality of it. He watched him eat. Bill kept being drawn to his one blue eye. It didn’t move naturally. Bill wasn’t fully sure it moved at all. It was a lot slower if it did move. It was as if it was only a place holder. The teen couldn’t figure out why. There was something about Darien that didn’t add up.   

"H-How old are you?" 

 

"16." Darien smiled, meeting his eyes. 

 

“Wh-Why were you s-s-sent here?” It probably wasn’t the smartest question to ask but Bill was curious. 

 

Darien didn’t seem to be bothered. He simply smiled and pointed to his blue eye. He didn’t explain any further which only raised Bill’s suspicions but he thought it best to not push. 

After a few silent moments of eating, Darien returned his eyes to the other boy. "Are you taking the medicine they give you?" 

 

Bill blinked. "Yeah...?" 

 

"Don't take them anymore." He said confidently. 

 

"Wh-Why?" 

 

"Because of what it does to you." Darien thought it was obvious but by the look of Bill's confusion he gave a small smile. "If you don't have a mental problem, that medicine will give you one. If it truly is a mistake you're here, don't take the pills." 

 

Bill sighed, not bothering to ask any more questions. He went back to focusing on himself then looked at his hand. He closed his fist, missing the ring that was taken. 

 

“What are you thinking about?” Darien hadn’t moved his eyes off him. 

 

“J-Just about the r-ring they took when I came here...” 

 

“A ring?” 

 

“Y-Yeah... My br-brother has the matching one.” The teen finished what he planned on eating and got up. 

 

“Where are you going?” Darien asked. 

 

“I w-want to be a-alone for a while. M-Maybe I’ll g-go to bed early.” 

 

“Want to hang out with me and a few friends later?” 

 

The teen shrugged, turning to leave. All he wanted to do was sleep. 

 

 

 

 

This dream was different than Bill’s usual reoccurring nightmares. For one, Georgie was oddly absent. The teen didn’t recognize this as anything being weird. 

He was sitting at a table, his back to the large brick wall, stacking painted blocked. Eddie was beside him, not Georgie. They were building together. Richie was on the other side of the table, across from Eddie, building his own tower. Beverly, Mike, and Ben were also at the table, building. They all determined to try to connect everyone’s buildings with bridges while being careful to not knock anything over. 

The room they were in reminded Bill a lot of a preschool that he and Georgie had gone to. The walls were painted white and had a large stripe of dark green. 

At some point, Bill’s friends left the table. It was just him and Eddie.  

“Come on, Bill.” Eddie grabbed the teen’s arm to gently tug him along.  

 

He smiled faintly and got up. The teen paused when they walked by a window. It looked like it was just a square cutout from the wall like they were in a treehouse. Outside on the grass was a slaughtered pig lying on its side. It was bleeding out into the soil from the large slice cut into it. The blood was starting to form a name. 

 

 _Georgie_. 

 

Bill wasn’t able to ponder on this for long because Eddie tugged him close. The lights flickered a few times to catch everyone’s attention and to quiet everyone down. Eddie led his friend to a tv where everyone else had gathered in front of on the floor.  

Eddie took a seat beside Richie then pulled Bill down to sit next to him. The teen was immediately fixated on the tv, but its images were a blur. He didn’t break away from the tv until Eddie leaned his head in Bill’s neck. He instinctively leaned his head on Eddie’s. The teen then glanced over to the rest of his friends. They were sitting in three rows. Bill, Eddie, and Richie occupied the front row. Mike, Beverly, and Ben were sitting behind them. Stan was sitting in the last row by himself, behind Beverly. Bill didn’t remember seeing Stan at the table earlier. He was fumbling with something in his lap. The teen couldn’t really tell what it was from where he sat.  

Eddie nuzzled in Bill’s neck with a whine to steal his attention. “Come lay down with me…” 

 

Everyone had moved over to the wall where they all bunched together on the floor. Everyone except Stan. Now Bill could see what the teen was doing. He was trying to put back together a broken toy of a boy in a rain jacket. He had blood on his hands, but it didn’t belong to him. It belonged to the doll. Stan very gingerly pierced the needle then swiftly yanked it to tighten the thread. He repeated this process perfectly like clockwork. Bill watched his friend until Eddie enticed him again. 

 

The teen willingly crawled over to the wall where he plopped down playfully on Eddie. The smaller boy giggled, wrapping his arms around Bill’s neck and kissing his cheek. They were all tangling with each other and necking. Bill looked over at Stan who stayed where he sat, still fixing the boy. 

“Look at Stan over there,” Bill whispered to Eddie. “Tell him to come lay with me.” 

 

Eddie turned to Richie. “Tell Stan to come lay with Bill.” 

 

Richie took the message and whispered it into Beverly’s ear. She passed it on to Mike who relayed it to Ben. By the time Ben called for Stan, the message was reduced. “You should come with us.” 

 

Stan stared at him for a few moments before he shook his head, standing up. He finished sewing the Georgie doll’s arm back on. Bill liked looking at the doll. For some reason Bill wasn’t able to register the doll represented his brother. 

“I want one,” the teen mumbled. It was a very cute doll. It had brown button eyes sewed on. Its smile was missing. 

 

Stan carried the doll over to the door of the room. The door was locked from the outside; they were trapped in there together. “We need to find a way to get out of here…” 

 

Immediately, everyone started saying no and booing at Stan teasingly. Bill joined in with them and booed him to discourage him from finding a way out. He wasn’t sure why they were doing that. Stan frowned but wasn’t swayed away. He knocked on the door, hoping for a response. "I fixed the doll!" 

 

While Stan was trying to get them out of there, Bill rolled over to be in between Eddie and Richie. They giggled and Richie spooned Bill.  

 

"Guys! It's open!" Stan received a response from whoever controlled the door. He held it open and looked over at his friends who ignored him. "Bill, let’s go."  

 

The teen looked over. Everyone else was discouraging the idea of leaving. Bill smiled lightly at Stan. "Do we have to leave? Lay with me instead." 

 

Stan seemed disappointed and shook his head. He left alone with the doll, closing the door behind him but leaving it cracked for his friend. Bill frowned as he watched him leave. He felt like he made a mistake. He sighed and turned on his back. "Maybe I should have left..." 

 

"Aww, don't be sad, Billy~" Eddie said, cupping the teen's face in his hands. "You still have us~" He slowly licked Bill's right eye. Richie bit the teen's neck, making him wince.  

 

"Ow... Richie, not so hard..."  

 

Richie moved down to a new spot in response. Beverly reached for Bill's hand from beneath the others and she smiled at him. Bill didn't have a very good feeling. 

"Guys, wait..."  

 

They were all crowded over and under each other like they were playing a game of Twister and Bill was the mat. He shoved Richie's head when he bit his hip hard. "Be gentle!" 

 

Richie growled, eyes black. He bit Bill's thigh, breaking the skin.  

 

"THAT'S NOT GENTLE!" That's when Bill noticed everyone's eyes were black and they were pinning him down. He gasped and tried to push them all away as they bit and pressed on him. He managed to crawl over onto his belly, mostly because they let him, before he was pinned back down.  

 

 

 

Bill suddenly woke up on his belly with a small gasp. The room was completely dark except a small gap of light from the cracked door. The teen slowly sat up and held his head as his eyes adjusted. His entire body was sore and his head was killing him. Then he realized he was on the floor. He also quickly discovered the group of people sleeping on the floor with him. He was disappointed to find that they weren't his friends from his dream but complete strangers. Bill cringed and shivered slightly as he remembered enough to want to forget everything. 

 

With a soft sigh, the teen climbed to his feet. He was careful to not brush against the naked bodies. Once on his feet, he looked for the best way out. He was surrounded. Bill had no choice but to carefully step over someone. He moved as quiet and slow as possible. The guy he was crossing over suddenly grabbed the teen's leg and yanked him down. Bill let out a startled gasp and fell to his right, landing hard on his knee. He winced from the pain and also used his hands to help catch himself so he wouldn't land completely on the man.  

 

"Where do you think you're going?" The man asked.  

 

"N-N-Nowhere," Bill rasped out nervously. He was tossed back into the middle of the group. The teen didn't want to chance trying to get away again. He just curled up on his side, holding his hurt knee and staring at the light from the hallway. He stared for a while before his eyes slowly got heavier with each blink. Soon, he drifted back into sleep.  

 

 

During this dream, Bill was only an observer. He watched as sunlight flooded the bedroom. Richie was lying down but his back was to where Bill was watching. Georgie slowly sat up from beside Richie and rubbed his eye. He lazily yawned and slowly crawled off the bed to pad off into another room. He went downstairs to the living room where Beverly was curled up on the couch. She looked over when the boy sat on the couch with her.  

"You look sleepy." 

 

"I'm depressed," Georgie mumbled somberly. 

Beverly opened her arms to him and he crawled over to lay his head on her lap.  

 

"I miss Bill..." The boy mindlessly fumbled with the hem of Beverly's dress before he sighed into her lap.  

 

"I know..." She gently played with his hair.  

 

 

Bill was woken up again by someone pressing into him. He whined and tiredly shoved them back. He wanted to keep sleeping. He wanted to see Georgie. Sleep unfortunately wasn’t going to happen. Soon, his memories of dreaming about Georgie faded away. 

 

It was only nine in the morning but Bill felt like he’d been awake for a whole day already. He sluggishly got up to roam the halls in hopes to clear his mind. In one of the hallways, he came across this old, dark skinned woman in a wheelchair. She was looking outside of an open window. He felt awkward and guilty to stare at her but he was also curious as to why she was in a wheelchair. He also wondered why she was there. The woman looked over at him, catching his stare. Bill immediately looked away but the woman smiled gently. 

“Hello.” 

 

Bill bit his lip, finally deciding to answer. “...Hi...” 

  

“You look lost.”  

She hit right on the nail but Bill didn’t want to admit that. Instead, he changed the subject. 

 

“Wh-Why are you in h-here?” He asked, in hopes to learn more about her instead of talking about himself. 

 

“Don’t go around asking people what they’ve done, boy. You’ll be in a world of disappointment.” She shook her head with a smirk then moved her wheelchair to be facing him. “Sometimes good people do bad things.” 

 

Bill didn’t say anything. He looked down at his feet, regretting saying anything to her.  

 

“You’ve done bad things. Would you want me to judge you on those pasts before I even get to know you?”  

 

The teen looked up at her. “I h-haven’t…” He stopped himself. 

 

“Yes, you have.” The lady smirked. “We all have. And we all will. That doesn’t make us bad people. It just means our circumstances were less than ideal and we did what we felt was best in that situation. We all have regrets, but that’s how we learn. If everything went perfect all the time, there would be no growth.” 

 

Bill made a pout and glanced to his feet. He wasn’t sure how he felt about getting preached to by some crazy lady. Plus, he didn’t have the energy to chat. He wanted to leave but didn’t know where to go. 

 

The woman watched him. She noticed early on how the boy couldn’t make eye contact. She took note of his shameful body language to piece together what happened. 

“How old are you, child?” 

 

“Th-Th-Thirteen…” He whispered. 

 

She nodded slowly. She also wasn’t going to hound him about his stutter. 

 

“What’s your name?” 

 

“B-Bill.” 

 

“Bill…” She closed her eyes as she memorized his name. When she opened her eyes, she smiled at him. “My name is Ruby.” 

 

The teen awkwardly stood there. He glanced down the hallway, wondering if he should just go back to bed. 

 

“You didn’t have much choice… Did you?” 

 

Bill wasn’t entirely sure what she was referring to. He decided it was best to not respond either way. Although he wanted to go back to his room, he found it hard to leave. 

 

"You should go get something to eat before all the warm food is gone." 

 

"…I d-don't need that sl-slop," Bill turned to leave but Ruby's words stopped him.  

 

"I know what you do need. You're a child that needs a mother," She said slowly, her eyes glancing out the window. "...a father... You're lost and in need of an adult to help guide you." She looked back to the teen and watched his tortured soul through his eyes. She gave him a tiny smirk. "Why else would you stay so long to listen to a crazy old lady like me? ...For once in your life you want to be taken care of instead of caring for yourself and everyone else." 

 

Bill quickly walked again, not wanting to stay any longer in fear of the tears that were sure to come. He didn’t know how he was so incredibly easy to read but he didn’t like it. 

 

Ruby watched the teen go. "Eat!" She called after him.  

 

 

Bill stopped his crying in the hallway, ignoring everyone’s eyes on him. He didn’t want to take Ruby’s advice to go eat but his stomach growled painfully. He sighed, making his way to the cafeteria.  

 

He felt like a zombie as he moved lazily through the line to get his tray. Darien spotted the teen and smiled. He abandoned the table he sat at to go over to him.  

“Hey! There you are! I was wondering where you ran off to this morning.” 

 

Bill only glanced at Darien for a second before he quickly looking back down. He especially couldn’t make eye contact with him. “Oh, h-hey…” He followed his friend back to the table. The teen couldn’t really come up with much conversation. He rather be left alone. 

Darien was able to easily pick up on the teen’s uncomfortable mood, but that didn’t make him leave him alone. “You look sleepy.”  

 

“I’m d-depressed,” Bill sighed, playing with his food. He propped his head up with his hand. He was sleepy for many reasons. Bill continued to pick at his food, eating slowly. For some reason he was thinking about Richie. He wondered how he and the others were doing. He just hoped that Beverly and Stan would do their best to filter Richie from Georgie. 

 

Darien watched him closely before getting an idea. He left without a word. Bill didn’t seem to mind. The teen’s only focus was to get some food in his stomach no matter how slow it took him. He thought maybe the food would make him feel better. 

Once he finished as much as he could take, he tossed the tray away and headed back for his room. Darien caught up with him in the hall. “Bill!” 

 

He stopped to wait on his friend. “Yeah?” 

 

“Come here. I want to show you something.” Darien smiled proudly and nudged the boy further in the room. “Close your eyes and hold out your hand!” 

 

Bill made an awkward noise. “The l-last time s-someone s-said that to me h-here, I got a d-d-dick in my face…” 

 

“No, I’m being serious!” 

 

“S-So am I…” 

 

Darien chuckled. “Trust me! We’re friends.” 

 

Bill sighed heavily, reluctantly closing his eyes with his hand cautiously out. He fully expected the worst but became confused when he felt something small and cold drop in his palm. He opened his eyes to find a ring.  _His_ ring. The one they confiscated when he arrived. 

“Th-This is…” 

 

“Yeah, yes, it is.” Darien smiled brightly. 

 

“H-How? How did you g-get this? Th-They took it fr-from me.” 

 

“I know how homesick you’ve been lately, so I snuck into the room where they store everyone’s belongings and I found yours.” 

 

Bill slipped the ring back on his hand and made a fist. He wondered if Georgie still kept the matching ring. He didn’t care to respond to Darien. He just kept rubbing his thumb against the ring. 

 

“Getting your ring back was the least I could do,” Darien continued. “I would have got your watch, too, but a ring is the easiest to hide.” He waited for some kind of response. 

 

Finally, Bill replied. “Th-Thanks.” He was still wary of his friend. He felt couldn’t completely let his guard down around him. “This ring m-m-means a lot to me.” 

 

“Why is it so special?” Darien tilted his head like usual. 

 

“It r-reminds me of my br-brother…” The teen sighed. “Th-That’s why I  _have_  to get out of here...” 

 

 

 

 

\-- 

Georgie felt defeated by fear and exhaustion. He wasn’t able to get his counselor switched. It didn’t matter how much he, or Stan, complained. There was no solid evidence anywhere and no one else came forward to confirm any inappropriate behavior. The boy had to see Mr. Anderson twice a week, every week. Time went by painfully slow. Some days it felt like time didn’t move at all. 

 

Georgie walked into the office and sat down, keeping his eyes in his lap. 

 

“You look pretty today.” 

 

The boy only glanced up. He didn’t speak. He barely spoke anymore. 

 

“I have something that you’ll like~” Sean said as he showed the boy an envelope. Georgie didn’t respond in any way. “Do you know what this is?” He asked. 

 

Silence. 

Georgie had quickly learned every question was a setup. It didn’t matter what answer he gave him, he would be made to feel dumber than dirt. 

 

“This is addressed to your family.” 

 

That caught the boy’s attention slightly. His curiosity got the best of him. Sean saw this and smirked as he opened the letter. Before the counselor could say anything else, Georgie chimed in for the first time that day. “Why do you have it?” 

 

“I stole it,” the man said nonchalantly. Sean started to laugh once he finished reading the letter. “I know this may be hard for you because you’re so dimwitted, but I want you to think. What month is it?” 

 

The boy watched him for a moment. “June...?” 

 

“Correct!” The man opened one of his desk drawers and tossed a starburst at him. “It’s towards the end of June! Now, what’s so significant about this month?” 

 

Georgie didn’t have an answer. 

 

“Come on! No answer is a wrong answer.” 

 

The boy knew that was a lie but he still fell for it. “...It’s summer...?” 

 

“Wrong! Not the answer I’m looking for!” He smirked. “Count from December to now. Don’t include December. How many months is that? Use your fingers.” 

 

Georgie glanced down to his hands and slowly counted off the months. When he reached June, he had six fingers up. The boy’s eyes grew as he recognized the connection. Bill was to come home! He swallowed his excitement when he looked back up. “...Six?” He said, trying to mask any emotion. 

The man already saw the look in the boy’s eye. He didn’t miss a thing. “That’s right...” He whispered. He leaned forward and turned the letter facing the boy. “Listen very carefully. This is a signed letter from one of the doctors at the place where your brother is. You have 30 days from today to pick him up. But! You  _have_  to have this letter with you. This letter is proof that your brother is all better! Without this proof, the head mistress there will not release him. When you bring this to her, she will stamp it. That stamp is a guarantee that your brother is okay to return home.” 

 

Georgie listened carefully to the directions with wide eyes. 

 

“I know this may seem like a lot but it’s the only way. This helps prevent people from breaking out and lying about being released. This letter is the only way to get released. Do you understand?” 

 

Georgie nodded. He reached his hand out when the man started to offer the letter to him. Sean stopped and pulled it back right before the boy’s fingertips could reach it. The man slowly tore the paper in half, grinning as he watched the boy’s face fill with horror. 

 

“No!!” Georgie went to lunge for the rest of the paper but stopped himself. Sean had leaned back in his chair, holding the paper close to him as he continued to rip it into shreds. 

 

“I can’t believe you just did that, Georgie!” Sean said in a fake surprised voice. “You completely destroyed poor Billy’s only way of coming home.” He started to laugh and tossed the confetti shreds onto the boy. 

 

Georgie bit his lip roughly to fight back the tears. He desperately grabbed at the shreds and tried piecing them back together but it was no use. There was no getting that paper back. 

 

 

 

On the way home, tears streamed down Georgie’s face. He was walking alone and eventually stopped on the sidewalk as he cried out loudly. 

 

“And you think  _I’m_ the monster.” Pennywise smirked, stopping beside the boy. 

 

Georgie wiped his tears and did his best to calm himself down. He looked up at the clown, tears staining his eyes. He didn’t bother saying anything. He was too broken and his voice was lost to keep fighting anymore. 

 

“How about this...” The clown started. “I don’t particularly care for the bastard, so I’ll make a little deal with you. I’ll take care of him. All I ask of you is your loyalty.” 

 

The boy sniffed back more tears as he listened. “...Loyalty?” 

 

Pennywise nodded. “I’ll have to leave in a few months. When that happens, I need you to let me keep a hold on you. That way I’ll be able come back easier.” 

 

“... I don’t think I want that.” 

 

The clown smirked. “But that man won’t be able to hurt you anymore. Deal?” 

 

With a heavy sigh, the boy finally met the clown’s hand. He didn’t know what to do anymore or who to trust. He was just tired of the pain. He was tired of the use. “...What about Bill?” 

 

“What about him?” 

 

“I want to see him again...” 

 

Pennywise tapped a fingertip on Georgie’s palm. The number ratio lit up in response. 

 _20:14_  

“I’ve already told you. Don’t forget about this so easily.” 

 

“But I don’t know what they mean!” 

 

“You will.” He smirked. 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill's eyes slowly opened and shifted to the far corner of the room where the clown loomed; waiting.  

"Good morning, Billy~" 

 

The teen didn't seem fazed. "You c-can't hurt me..." He whispered faintly as to not wake the sleeping bodies in the beds next to him.  

 

Pennywise smiled at him, taking his sweet time to walk over. He hummed a mockingly pleasant tune then stopped when he reached the foot of Bill's bed. "Why do you always assume I'm here to hurt you?~" 

 

Before the teen could respond sarcastically, he felt something that stole his attention. It was difficult to describe. It was as if someone was grabbing Bill's insides and pulling them. Whatever it was, it prevented him from moving. The sharp pain slowly began to fade but it quickly returned. The teen's body involuntarily jerked and a pained grunt barely found its way out. It felt stronger this time and lasted longer. Just as it started to fade, Bill attempted to move away and plead with the clown. Suddenly, his body jerked harder, moving him further up the bed. An involuntary, audible gasp filled the walls of the room, making a couple patients stir.  Bill was arched, his chest up. His eyes had rolled up to the back of his head. His fingers were curled up; one hand reaching to grip the sheets while his other clawed at the wall. This one lasted even longer and was intense enough to otherwise immobilize him.  

"D-Don't do that again..." He said when it finally began to pass. He stared at the ceiling in the same position until Pennywise released him.  

 

The clown chuckled at how helpless Bill had become. "Was it as good for you as it was for me? It sure looked like it." He copied Bill's eye roll and mimicked a sound he made.  

 

The teen rolled his eyes with disgust. He hated Pennywise's sense of humor. "It hurt, b-bastard." He hissed. 

 

He ignored his statement. “Today is your last day here! You excited?” Pennywise had a suspicious grin on his face. 

 

Bill narrowed his eyes at him. “...Wh-What did you do?” He sat up in bed and didn’t bother with whispering anymore to not disturb the others. 

 

“I haven't done anything!” He smirked. “It’d just be a real shame if no one showed up to get you...” 

 

“What’d you do?!” He asked in a shout, waking his neighbors. They stared at the teen climbing out of his bed to confront the monster they couldn’t see. 

 

“Don’t worry,” the clown said, backing away from Bill. “I’ll take care of Georgie for you.”  

Just before the teen could swing on him, he vanished. Bill clutched his fists as tears threatened his eyes. He had to be getting out. He  _had_  to.  

 

 

The teen waited anxiously; desperately. He asked every nurse he met for confirmation that his family was coming for him. But no one showed up. 

Bill kept pacing the hallways until a familiar face stopped him. It was Ruby. She had been watching the young boy stress out to his limit. 

 

"Son,"  

 

Bill stopped and turned to look at her. Her wheelchair was facing the big, open window. She was staring out into the garden. 

"Come here." 

 

Bill sighed, shifting his feet before finally walking back to her. Ruby pointed to a spot on the floor near her. "Sit down." 

 

The teen made a face, not exactly wanting to sit on the filthy floor. Before he could protest, Ruby already read his body language and tossed down her blanket she kept on her lap.  

"Sit," She said again, not asking him.  

 

Bill obeyed with a sigh. He sat there for a moment, waiting for the lady to start talking again. When she didn't, he looked at her. "Wh-What?" 

 

"You don't have to be strong all the time." She was still looking out, watching the breeze move the trees. A storm was coming.  

 

Bill was quiet at first. He was about to say something, but Ruby interrupted him.  

 

"It's okay for you to cry. No one's here to watch. I'm not even watching." 

 

Bill bit his lip, refusing to want to break down. Ruby was patient. She never broke her promise to not look at the teen. After a while, he finally broke. 

 

"...I m-miss my brother..." Tears fell down his cheeks rapidly. "I-I'm s-s-supposed to pr-protect him and I'm not there..." He leaned his forehead on Ruby's knee while he cried uncontrollably. 

The lady placed her hand on the teen's hair. She kept her eyes on the trees, now bending dangerously as the storm arrived.  

 

"I l-lost everything..." he whispered shakily once he found the strength to speak again. "And I... left h-him... I j-just want to go h-home... I w-want this to be over..." 

 

Ruby waited until Bill finished crying and he finally settled down before she spoke.  

"You're so young to be without a family... Your life is just starting as mine is ending." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I want you to listen to me carefully... I don't know what this entity that's haunting you is, but I do know that's it's using your separation from your family. You have to be strong in yourself to beat it." 

 

Bill sniffed a little bit but he kept listening. 

 

The woman finally looked down at the teen. "This world doesn't like people who are different and it doesn't like people who are the same. Once you've found that inner-strength, you've unlocked a new world. One where you have peace and joy. It doesn't mean everything is going to be perfect. There's going to be plenty of moments to cry, but that's not a bad thing." 

 

"...I d-don't w-want to be s-sensitive..." Bill mumbled.  

 

"Being sensitive isn't the same as being weak. If you can cry easy, then you have more love to give than the majority of the people that walk this earth." Ruby smirked slightly. "Never let yourself get so cold that you can't cry."  

 

“...I just w-w-wanna go home...” 

 

“I know, son.” She sighed softly. “But I don’t know if it’s time for you to leave here yet...” 

 

Bill squeezed his eyes shut. “Why?” He asked shakily. 

 

“I don’t know. All I know is you don’t just cross paths with people for no reason. For whatever reason, you’re in the place you’re meant to be in. I’m right here with you.” 

 

They sat quietly, listening to the storm outside. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the number ratio from 23:17 to 20:14. I’m sure some of yall can guess what this means now XD 
> 
> I haven't edited the rest of the book to change where these numbers are yet! I’ll do that later when I go back to edit small mistakes in the entire book. 
> 
> It’s kinda funny because when I first introduced that number, I just picked a random ratio. I was just going to pick a number and work something around that number. The one I randomly picked was 25:17 and then I changed the first number. But actually, the first number could have worked very well for a different change that I didn’t make. When I make a revised version of this story, I may use the 25:17 ratio but in a different way. 
> 
> Just something I thought I'd throw out there XD


	37. Ghosts

\-- ( A few years have passed ) --

"I'm very proud of you, Bill." Ruby said as Bill walked along beside her down the hallway. They had just finished a session of tutoring. Ruby insisted that the teen still needed schooling. The asylum itself didn’t offer any type of learning classes. They felt they didn’t need them since the majority of the patients were adults. Bill was among the very few minors sent there. Ruby mostly worked with Bill on his speech. She knew his stutter was something he could eventually beat as long as he worked on it a little every day. Their daily meetings also gave Bill something to do and someone to grow close to. "You’re getting better at not stuttering. I’d say if you keep this up, you won’t have a stutter much more."

Bill returned the smile softly. His smile wasn’t close to a true one. It’d been a long time since he truly felt happy. Every day that passed by slowly killed him. It didn’t matter how much Ruby tried to reassure him, or even Darien, he still wasn’t happy. "Thank you.”

She watched the teen return to silence and she stopped her wheelchair, grabbing onto Bill's arm. "Look at me, son."

Bill didn't really want to. He just wanted to be left alone but he knew Ruby wouldn’t let him off that easy. His eyes shifted to the right before he finally looked at his tutor. 

"Your birthday is tomorrow.” Ruby assumed that was the reason for the teen's sadness. There were certain times every year when Bill got low. Christmas, Georgie's birthday, and his own birthday.

The teen didn't respond much except for a shrug. "Yeah." 

"It's a pretty big deal. You'll be turning 16. Know what you want?" 

"My br-brother," he pouted. He stared down at his shoes in thought. "Out of here... To go home...”

“I know...” Ruby rubbed the boy’s arm before letting go.

Bill stayed in his own thoughts for a few moments before speaking again. “Do you think he's forgotten about me? Do you think he even wants me now? ..."

Ruby watched the teen carefully. "I think you need to be nicer to yourself. Don't make an enemy with yourself. It’s going to be a hard journey if you do."

Bill sighed out with frustration. He was so fed up of where he was at. "I haven't even heard from him after that f-first letter... I haven't heard from anyone. What the hell happened? I was s-supposed to only be here for s-six months! And this turned into years!"

"Lower your voice.” Ruby said calmly but sternly. “They won't hesitate to put you down if you appear too irate."

Bill didn't particularly want to calm down even though he knew he had to. He just wanted to know what happened. He huffed loudly and clutched his fists. “I j-just-”

"Look at me." Ruby interrupted, continuing only after Bill obeyed. "This isn't your fault and this isn't theirs. These crooked doctors are the ones keeping you here."

"B-But I want out! I'm tired of this pl-pl-place!" He felt like crying from frustration. 

"I know... Listen, I said I was going to help you and I still am. I didn’t take you under my wing to keep you trapped here. You will get out-"

"When?!"

"Hush!" Her sudden raise in voice made the teen shut up. "Now that's enough. There is a reason why you’re here. You were a stupid child when you were brought in here, and you’re still a stupid child now. You need to grow and learn... Otherwise you’re going to get yourself shot for something stupid like letting your emotions get the best of you.”

Bill was staring off to the side angrily but he was listening to what the woman told him.

“You’re alive. That’s plenty to be thankful for right now.”

“Okay.” He said shortly, almost cutting her off. He attempted to walk off but Ruby grabbed his arm again.

“Please.” She waited till he met her eyes. “Get some rest.” She released him and watched the teen go off.

Bill was awake early the next morning. He wasn’t able to sleep well, like usual. He mostly tossed and turned as he waited for it to be closer to daybreak before he got up. The teen was going to do his routinely roaming around when Darien popped up out of nowhere again.

“Happy birthday!” He said with a beaming smile.

Bill jumped at the sudden voice but then sighed. “Thanks...”

“So, what are you going to do today?” He asked, following the teen a little too closely.

Bill stopped walking and looked at him. “I w-want to be alone right now, okay? I’ll see you later...” He started on his way again, thankfully without Darien following.

Bill wandered down an empty hallway when he noticed a nurse leaving a room. The nurse forgot to forcefully close it all the way so it stayed cracked. Bill didn’t care much about it until he reached the door. It was the room where they kept all of the patients’ belongings and files. He stared at it for a moment then glanced around to see if anyone was watching him. He was alone. The teen slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside. The room was fairly neat but crowded. All of the belongings taken on the day of admission were stacked in little cubbies. There was also a large trash bin for the belongings of patients who died. 

The teen searched the shelves, looking for his name on the labels. All his things were there but there were a couple additions. The letter he had written to Georgie was there. It was never sent. Bill picked up another letter that sat next to it. It was from Stan. He was never given the letter. Bill bit his lip roughly to hold back anger as he glanced around at the other cubbies. Almost everyone had unopened letters, either ones they intended to be sent off or ones never received. Some were dated back eight years. 

“I can’t fucking believe this...” He hissed as he opened Stan’s letter. The letter wished Bill was doing well and also informed him of what was happening back in Derry. Beverly and Richie were dead. Reading those words stopped Bill for a while. He never knew. He never expected anyone else would die while he was away. He gripped the paper a little harder as he continued reading. The next paragraph talked about Georgie. His time in therapy wasn’t going so well. He was shutting off again. Stan asked for any advice to help Georgie since Bill always knew how to handle him best. The letter continued by saying how much he felt Georgie was struggling without him. It ended by saying:

_He needs you._

Bill crumpled the letter with anger. He was devastated but preferred to focus on being hellbent to get out; now more than ever. Anger was easier to handle than tears. He was so fed up. He didn’t care if he would get shot, he wasn’t staying any longer. The teen regretted staying as long as he did.

“What are you doing?”

Bill jumped, expecting it to be a nurse that had found him. He quickly turned to find it was only Darien. “Oh... It’s j-just you...” Bill hadn’t heard the door open or any footsteps. He didn’t understand how, or why, Darien was so good on sneaking up on him.

“What are you doing?” Darien asked again.

“I’m getting out of here,” Bill mumbled quietly, pushing past him to leave the room. He didn’t feel like entertaining the other teen. 

“What do you mean?” Darien looked a little confused and anxious. 

“I’m going home,” he hissed in an annoyed tone.

Darien frowned and nervously glanced around the cubbies for something he could use. He didn’t like the sound of his friend trying to leave him. He picked up something that glimmered before hurrying after his friend. “But... But, no one can leave here.”

“W-Well, I am.” Bill didn’t really like how Darien was following on his heels. “What’s your problem, anyway? Don’t you want out of here?” 

Darien stared at the floor for a few seconds before answering. “I’m fine here.” He returned his eyes to Bill. “Why aren’t you fine here?”

The teen sighed heavily and stopped walking. He turned around to face him. “My br-brother needs me... He’s needed me this whole time and I've been tr-trapped here... N-No more...” He said with his voice lowered in case anyone turned the corner to where they were. Darien’s expression was completely blank in the oddest way. It didn’t seem like a natural indifference, it felt more like he was putting on a mask.

“You can either help me g-get out or leave me alone. I’m b-busy.”

Bill waited for some kind of response from the other teen but didn’t receive anything. He was just quietly staring. Bill slowly turned his foot to leave but before he could step away, Darien quickly grabbed him by the neck. He pushed him to the wall with a forceful hold in order to keep him pinned but had no intentions of strangling him. Bill brought his hands around the other teen’s wrist. 

“You can’t just leave...” Darien whispered shakily. “You... You have to stay here. Wh-What if your family is dead and gone? Then you w-won't have anyone.” He was mimicking Bill’s stutter intentionally. “Just stay here...”

Bill grunted, gripping his wrist harder and trying to push him back. “G-Get off!” He shoved him away for only a moment before Darien pushed him to the floor. Darien landed on him then pinned him down again. He had his hand around Bill’s neck a lot tighter.

“Don’t leave me,” He said shakily. He was breathing heavier like he was on the verge of a panic attack. Bill watched as Darien became completely unthreaded. The older teen pulled out the pocket knife he stole from one of the cubbies. “Just stay... Just stay...”

Bill huffed but couldn’t swipe the knife out of his hand.

“I’ll give you one more chance,” Darien offered graciously, keeping the knife out of reach from Bill. “Will you stay here?” He loosened his grip on his neck to let him speak.

“F-Fuck you,” Bill hissed when he could finally breathe.

Darien frowned, returning his choking grip. “That’s not what I wanted to hear...” He placed his knees on Bill’s chest to keep him down as he moved his hand from his neck to his face, holding open Bill’s eye. “If you r-really have to leave...” He started to bring the knife to the teen’s eye.

Bill freaked out and tried snatching the knife. His hand got cut in the process but Darien quickly recoiled it. “Stop!” The older teen shouted. “If you move too much, I might damage your eye. Then I'll have to take the other one. Just stay still... I’ll give you my blue one to replace it... Okay? A sapphire for an emerald... Okay? This way we’ll stay together... Even when you’re gone... We’ll still be together...” 

Much to Darien’s dismay, Bill didn’t stay still. He thrashed for the knife, getting cut more in the process but he finally managed to knock it out of Darien’s hands. While the teen was watching the knife slide across the floor, Bill shoved him off and punched him in the face. He breathed heavily, lunging for the knife the same time Darien did. Darien grabbed it first but Bill pried it out of the teen’s hand then stabbed him in the neck in one swift movement. Darien was dead after the first stab but Bill didn’t stop there. There was a familiar static in his ear that he wasn’t fully aware of; telling him to keep stabbing in order to be safe. It was the same static Pennywise always used on him. The same static he could never control or be fully aware of. The same static that convinced him to kill his father. Bill finally stopped after 27 stabs. He dropped the knife and shakily got to his feet. He tried his best to not panic but it was hard not to from the adrenaline. He ran down the hallways to find Ruby.

The lady heard the teen’s running and looked over at him. He was panting and covered in blood. “I-I... I didn’t mean to...” He whispered shakily. She was able to decipher he must have either killed someone or seriously injured them.

Ruby pulled the teen closer and wiped the blood from his hands with her blanket. She held his hands and stared into his eyes. “They’re going to kill you, Bill.”

“I-”

“Don’t speak,” she said calmly, something Bill wasn’t able to do. “Let’s go out to the garden...” Ruby nonchalantly maneuvered herself down the hall with the teen beside her. Bill was anxiously guilty and showed every sign of it as he internally freaked out. 

“I w-w-was j-just... He...”

Once they were outside in the courtyard, Ruby reached to hold Bill’s shaking hand. “Listen to me carefully,” She whispered. “When they find what you did, and I imagine it’ll be any minute now if they hadn’t already, they will put the place on lockdown. That’s why I brought you out here.”

“W-Will they know it was m-me? …"

“Perhaps not. But when things like this happen, they have a... special... protocol. Whenever a patient gets sick with something contagious and it spreads, they do one of these lockdowns. When the place becomes too crowded, they do ones of these lockdowns. And, finally, when a patient kills another, they typically do one of these.”

Bill looked back at the building when he heard gunshots and some people screaming.

“They call it “clearing house” but it looks the same as murder to me. They do it for population control and to get rid of major threats.”

Bill’s anxiety grew worse but Ruby squeezed his hands. “Don’t focus on them, focus on me. Walk with me. I want to tell you a story.”

Bill didn’t know how calm and collected Ruby could be. The teen couldn’t even find words to speak. He just did his best to listen to Ruby speak and not the gunshots.

“When I was nine years old, I believe, I tried to escape from here.”

The teen was surprised. “Y-You were here wh-when you were nine? And you’ve b-been here all this time?”

She nodded. “That’s right. I was a feisty little thing. Momma couldn’t handle me nor want to. She said I must be insane or possessed since I was so disobedient.” She chuckled as she remembered. “The nurse of my room found me just as I was so close to breaking out. She dragged me by my hair and kicked me down. She said if I were to ever try that again, she would make sure I'd never be able to run away again.” Ruby smirked and looked over at Bill. “Think I listened? Nope. Boy, did that bitch keep her promise. Not only did she keep me from running again, she kept me from barely being able to walk.”

Bill frowned as he listened and stopped walking when Ruby stopped her wheelchair. She placed her hand on his arm and pointed across the yard at all the greenery surrounding the back part of their prison. They were surrounded by high brick walls with wiring up top to prevent patients from climbing over. 

“There didn’t used to be those wires there. I would try to climb up the vines.” She laughed softly. “But one day, I noticed something behind those bushes. Part of the brick was broken. It must have been weathered real bad. But there was a hole. It was just perfect for me to slide through.” Ruby sighed and shook her head. “My nurse apparently had been watching me and caught me at the worst time. Then I waited a whole month.” She smirked. “I thought I was slick. They crossed over wiring to make a fence in that little spot. Must have been cheaper than getting more bricks. It’s not a very good fence because I was able to break underneath. Unfortunately, that was about the time my nurse found me again. My progress is still there, though. They thought they could just keep it covered with the garden instead of fixing it.”

The headmistress stepped outside with arms crossed as she watched the boy and lady. She followed their eyes but assumed they were doing nothing more than hopelessly wishing. One of her workers stepped beside her.

“Want me to get them too?” He asked, gun ready.

She hummed then smiled. “I’m not sure yet.”

Ruby looked at the teen. “With all the commotion going on inside, now is your  _only_ chance to escape without being easily spotted. You’re much bigger than I was at nine but I think you’ll be able to fit. I want to you to run, as fast as you can, don’t look back for nothing, and don’t slow down. Just breathe... and run!” She pushed the boy forward, causing Bill to start in a sprint across the large yard. He was terrified but continued to run.

Ruby looked over to her left when she heard the worker’s gun being cocked and aimed at Bill. Her eyes widened as she returned her eyes to Bill.

The teen was getting to the middle of the large yard when he also heard the gun and noticed the worker from the corner of his eye. The static in his ear returned along with more. He slowed down and blinked his eyes as a major flash of déjà vu stopped him. He flashed back to a previous dream where he was a deer running across an open field. Georgie held the gun, ready to shoot him.

“He’s not going to make it,” Ruby whispered, moving her wheelchair onto the grass. “Run, Bill!” She shouted. She gripped the armrests of her wheelchair and tried to shakily lift herself up.

The worker’s eyes shifted over to the woman. He quickly aimed at her and shot. Ruby’s call, followed by the loud shot, broke Bill out of his paralyzing trance. He used the fear that filled him to run even harder.

The teen clashed to the ground when he got to the wall and sporadically moved the brush to find the fence. He pushed the wiring from the bottom and dipped his head in. He didn't even care to analyze how he was going to get through. The hole was pretty small. If he had been a child, it wouldn't have been an issue but since he was now bigger, he had to twist and stretch his body through. He didn't go slow, in fear of getting shot any second. The wire fell back down on the teen and scratched and tugged him to stay. Bill clung desperately at one of the two trees that grew right outside the fence.

The headmistress watched her worker shoot the lady dead but then her eyes went back to Bill. She saw him on the ground trying to claw his way out. "Don't forget him!" She shouted, pointing to the teen. The worker looked over at him and aimed.

Tears were streaming down Bill’s face. He was breathing loudly, and his chest hurt from how rapid his heart was beating. He didn't want to die. He just wanted to get back home. He just wanted to see Georgie again. He clawed at the dirt and moss, finally succeeding in wriggling out his shoulders and then freeing his hips. He went in between the twin trees and used them to continue to pull him through until his legs were free of the clawing fence. 

"Give me that!" The headmistress quickly took the gun when her worker missed the shot. She aimed it for herself but put it down as Bill had slipped through. “Damn it! He got out.”

“What do we do now?” The worker asked. “...Do you want me to make a report to the administration that he escaped?”

The mistress was quiet for a moment as she checked her watch for the time. “No... He’s society’s problem now. As for the administration, he died of an illness. Like all the others. Throw out their stuff and get some people to clean up all the mess.”

The worker nodded before returning to the building.

Bill kept clawing the ground as he went through the trees, using one to kick off of. He panted heavily and leaned his back against one, tears pouring down. The teen didn’t feel he was in a safe place to rest so he pushed himself to keep going. 

He walked along a deserted road for what felt like an eternity. He was exhausted and lost. Occasionally, a few cars would drive by but none of them gave the teen any consideration. It was starting to get dark as the sun set. He finally came across this lonely diner on the side of the road. 

_Diner 27_

There was nothing else around, and the parking lot was barely occupied. The teen opened the door, a bell wrapped around the handle clang to notify his arrival. There weren't many people in the diner; Bill expected that. There was one person sitting in a booth eating and two men sat at the bar. One of them wore a hat. There was one waitress wiping down the counter and two people working in the open kitchen. Bill walked up to the bar and sat on one of the torn, red stools. The men who were sitting a couple seats down from him, looked over but didn’t say anything to him.

"What can I get for you, sweetie?" The washed-up waitress asked while chewing gum.

"Directions to D-Derry." The teen said softly.

Before the waitress could respond, one of the men a few seats down from him smirked.

"Derry? Why would you want to go there?" He laughed and elbowed his friend who joined in.

"I left someone important there."

"Ah...” They both quieted down. “A lady?" The man with the hat asked. 

Bill shook his head. "My brother." 

The men exchanged questioning looks at each other. One of them quickly shrugged it off as no big deal before going back to drinking his coffee. "Derry is a small town."

The other one wasn't too swayed but he wasn't going to start a fight about it. "Whatever floats your boat, kid..."

Bill turned his attention back to the waitress who placed one of the menus in front of him.

"Oh... I d-don't have any money," he said honestly. 

"You're going to need money if you want to go to Derry," The man with the hat interrupted.

The other one agreed with a nod.  "Yeah, Derry is a good hop from here."

The waitress placed a hand on her hip as she looked at the teen. She then looked over at the cooks.

"Hey, Frank!"

"What?!" The shorter man yelled back as he quickly tended to multiple things. 

Bill had no idea why they were raising their voice since they were about six steps away from each other.

"What, what do you want?" The man walked over when the waitress didn’t say anything else.

"This boy needs money to get to Derry."

Frank stared at her as if she asked him to walk on the moon. "Do I look like a charity to you?! What am I supposed to do for him?!"

"Put him to work!" 

Frank huffed then looked at Bill. “Have you worked before?"

"No."

"Can you cook?"

"No."

"..."

Frank gave a deflated sigh. "...Alright, you're hired." He handed him a glass picture of ice water and nodded to the person at the booth.

"Give that gentleman over there some more water. Any tips left on the tables are yours, so be friendly and attractive." He pointed at him for emphasis. "Every person that walks in here has the potential to be your paycheck; remember that!" 

Bill nodded and went over to the booth. The man was reading the newspaper, not giving the teen a second thought. Bill poured his glass silently, feeling awkward to tend to someone like this. He didn’t know what else to do or say so he just returned to the bar. The two truckers snickered at the teen’s awkwardness. 

“Shut up, you two!” The waitress snapped after snapping a bubble in her mouth. “He’s a baby. He’ll get better the more he works on it.” She took the water from Bill and replaced it with a coffee pot to refill the men's’ mugs. 

Since business was so slow, the teen was allowed to rest and even given food to eat.

It was after closing time and everyone had already left except Bill and Frank. The teen was cleaning off the tables with a rag while Frank finished counting the money in the register.

Frank scratched his forehead while he looked at the open register. They just barely made enough. He looked up at the tall teen wiping away the tabletops. 

"How much did you make?"

Bill paused to pull out the change from his pocket. He had a couple crumpled ones but mostly change that didn't add up to be anything great. "N-Not much..." He mumbled. He felt defeated and hopeless. 

Frank sighed as he watched the teen. He looked back down at the register and pulled out $5, which would hinder his business. They barely got enough costumers to make ends meet. He closed the register and grabbed his coat. 

"Here." Frank gruffed, shoving the money into Bill's hand. 

The teen looked at it then at the man who angrily waddled away. "Don't get used to that! It's just to get the ball rolling. You'll have to earn every penny yourself!"

Bill smiled gratefully. "Tha-"

"Hurry up, boy!" Frank said, turning out the lights and swinging open the front door, the little bell hitting the glass. "You got long legs; use 'em! I can't stay here all night. I've got a life."

The teen smirked softly and quickly followed, abandoning the rag on the table. He got in Frank’s little beat up car and glanced out the window when they started driving.

“Where are we at?” He asked.

“This is Highway 27,” He explained. “You can take this road all the way down to Faycrest. Now, you’re wanting to get to Derry, right?”

“Yes.”

“You would need to make it up to Snow Rock. That’s the fastest way to get there. Once there, you just need to head east through a little place called Brightbell, and you’ll wind up right in Derry.”

Bill frowned with a whine. “...So, I r-really am far?...”

“You are... What do you need to go to Derry for, huh? Where’s your parents?”

“...In Derry.”

Frank shook his head. “You’re so far from home, kid... It’s not a day trip to get back to Derry.” He sighed heavily. “I can’t just leave you to hoof it, so you’re going to have stay here a while. You’ll work to get enough money to take a ride there.” He turned onto another street. “Now, where I live, there’s a train you can take. It costs more, but it’s a straight shot into Snow Rock. If you try going the way of Faycrest, you’ll have more stops.” He glanced over to the teen to see if he was getting all the information. “But don’t worry about all that right now. I’ll give you a map when that time comes. For the time being, just take it one day at a time. I’ll let you stay with me. You won’t have to worry about food or anything. I’ll cover it.”

Bill didn’t say anything. He just stared out the window, hating how far he was from Georgie. Frank glanced over at him. 

“You look pretty beat up. You run away from home or something?”

“S-Something like that...”

They drove in silence for the rest of the way back. As they were pulling down a dirt road, Frank pointed up on top of the hill. It was too dark to really see the hill. “That up there is the tracks. Blue Fox railway.” He smirked, parking the car outside of a trailer. There was a streetlight next to the home that flooded the yard in orange light. “I used to take...” He stopped in his tracks to rethink what he was going to say. “...I used to go up to Snow Rock for weekends... Not anymore.” He got out of the car and the teen followed. Bill wondered what Frank was going to say but didn’t push him.

“Well, we’re home!” He walked up the steps and swung open the screen door. The street light provided light for the steps and door. Bill looked around, slowly following inside. It was small and they were immediately greeted by a sable and white rough collie. “That’s Sage, she won’t bother you.” 

The teen smiled softly at the dog and allowed her to sniff his hand before he petted her. “This is where you live?” He asked when he looked around, it sounding worse than he intended.

“Oh, is this not good enough for you, prince of Derry?” He said sarcastically. 

Bill smirked a little and immediately shook his head. “No, I didn’t mean it like that! I just... thank you...” He smiled and watched Sage walk by him to sit at her food bowl. While Frank fed her, Bill continued to look around. 

They walked right into the living room area. Connected to the left was a small kitchen and laundry area, and a master bedroom at the very back. To the right, was a hallway with a room, bathroom, and another bedroom at the very end.

“Your bedroom is down there.” Frank pointed down the hallway.

Bill walked down, finding the switch on the wall in the room. It was a basically decorated room with a few, faint remains of someone else. The bedding was blue and white, a couple punk rock posters littered the walls. There were two white end tables on either side of the bed, a white shelf next to the closet, and a dresser. The teen went over to the shelf. There were empty places where picture frames had been. Nothing in particular stood out to Bill until he noticed a key on the top shelf. It looked like a normal house key. 

The teen heard Sage pad into the room followed by Frank. 

“This good enough for you?”

Bill smiled lightly and nodded. “Yeah. It’s great.”

“Well, once you get settled, why don’t you come in here and tell me about your kingdom in Derry.” Sage followed Frank out of the room and the teen rolled his eyes with a smirk. He waited a couple minutes before he went back into the living room, sitting on the couch while Frank sat in the chair.

“I don’t know if I'm quite the r-r-royalty you’re making me out to be.”

Frank snorted then opened a can of soda. “I guarantee you it’s steps above this cracker box in a dirt hole.” He took a sip then looked at the teen. “You’re just too polite to say it.”

Bill blushed lightly from embarrassment and he glanced away. Sage placed her head on the couch so Bill would pet her.

“Like I said, you’re gonna be here for a while. Get comfortable to talk to me. You don’t have to lie here.”

The teen’s smile faded when Frank brought up lying. He didn’t know if he could actually tell anyone the truth of what happened. Frank watched him. He felt bad for the teen. He wanted to know how and why he got all the way out here.

“Why would a prince run away from his kingdom?” Frank used the prince nickname almost subconsciously. He used it with his own son but wasn’t aware he was using it on Bill. He always used the nickname for his son to show even though they didn’t have much, he was still worth the same as royalty. 

Although Bill didn’t fully understand the nickname, he didn’t mind it. It was nice to have a pet name for one. A  _good_ pet name. He hesitated before answering. The way the question was worded, made it easier for him to take. “...Maybe... Maybe the prince didn’t run away... M-Maybe he was s-sent away...”

“Alright, then. Why would he be sent away?”

“...For killing the king...” Bill didn’t notice he let the words slip out until it was too late. He bit his lip roughly and kept his eyes on Sage, fully expecting the worst. There was silence. The worst response.

“...Well... I’m sure he’s the not first and won’t be the last.”

The teen sniffed quietly, thankful for not hearing anything harsher.

“What was your home like?” Frank asked. He redirected his eyes to Sage or focused on his soda occasionally. He did it to make the teen feel a little more at ease.

Bill chewed on his bottom lip, staring at the caring eyes of the dog. “Um... I lived with my parents and my little brother, Georgie.” He almost felt like crying as he thought about his brother.

“So, there’s two princes.” The man nodded. “I bet you had a house.”

Bill nodded and smiled faintly. “Two story...”

“Any pets?”

He shook his head. “G-… Georgie wanted a dog, though.”

“How come you never got one?”

Bill shrugged. “...I don’t know. Things... got bad at s-some point.”

“Really?”

The teen leaned back on the couch while Sage lied down on his feet. “It didn’t used to be. I d-d-don’t know why. Our dad just... I gu-guess t-took it out on us and st-started drinking more.”

Frank was silent as he allowed Bill to talk as much as he wanted.

“I w-wanted to protect Georgie. Even when he was a baby, I always wanted to be sure I kept him safe. After th-things got bad, I pr-practically r-raised him myself. S-So, things were tough... And then they got w-w-worse...”

“How?”

“A clown?” Bill rolled his eyes at himself. “A figment of my imagination? A demon? I d-don’t know what It is... All I know is I’ve w-watched my m-mind get worse... D-Depressing thoughts that I d-don’t r-remember ever being there and horrible r-reoccurring nightmares.” The teen didn’t have faith that Frank would believe him but he kept going. “It was worse on Georgie. I can’t even imagine all he m-must be going through. That thing made me kill our dad... Almost made me k-kill G-Georgie, too.” He sighed heavily. “S-So, I was sent off to some as-asylum. Th-That's where I been all this time.”

Frank nodded slightly as he looked at him. “How long have you been there?”

“S-Since I was thirteen. I’m sixteen now.”

“I see...”

“I haven’t seen the... clown since I was thirteen, b-but he’s still weighing on me... Through my dreams and th-thoughts. I don’t know about Georgie... But I’m scared for him.”

Frank nodded again. “So, that’s why you want to go back? You want to beat this creature and save your brother?”

Bill clinched his fist a little bit. “I d-don’t know if I can beat It...” He whispered. “I just want Georgie. I don’t c-care if we both die to that thing, I just want him in my arms... Th-That's why I need to get back as quick as possible... I don’t want to wait any longer.”

Frank hummed. “Well, if Georgie is anything like you then I’m sure he’s a fighter, and I think you don’t have much to worry about. You'll get back to him. Don’t rush it, though. From the sound of things, you may very well have a big battle when you get there.” He stood up with a sigh and patted the teen’s shoulder. “Go get some sleep. Tomorrow is Sunday, the diner is closed.” Frank chuckled a little bit. “You’ve got a good story. The prince returns to his kingdom to fight the dragon to save the littlest prince. You’re bound to win, somehow.”

Bill watched him leave for his room then he stood up. Sage moved out of the teen’s way, following him down the hall. The collie curled up on the floor next to the bed when Bill crawled in. He sighed softly, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep fairly quickly. 

He slept till noon the next day. When Bill finally pulled himself out of bed, Sage was gone. He slowly made his way to the living room, searching for the dog so he could pet her more.

“I’m surprised you didn’t sleep longer,” Frank said. He was washing the stack of dishes in the sink.

The teen shrugged. “I tr-try to not sleep too long s-sometimes. Where’s Sage?”

“Oh, she’s outside.”

Bill opened the door and stepped down the stairs, being greeted by the collie. “H-Hey, Sage...” He sat on the stairs and petted her. She sat in front of him, laying her head on his knee. 

The teen sat there for the longest time, thinking. He was thinking about Georgie. He wanted to get to him quickly and was annoyed by how difficult it was becoming. He glanced up at the hill to see where the tracks were. Bill got up to see them. As he walked up the hill, he noticed something red glisten in the rocks. He tilted his head, wondering what it could be. 

Sage started to growl and bark as Bill approached the tracks. The dog was looking into the woods around the hill. She spotted a white cross fox that was matching Bill’s footsteps, watching the teen intently with yellow eyes. It wasn’t a normal fox. It smelled different. It was a different entity all together. Sage did her best to warn the teen by barking and growling.

The teen stood in the middle of the tracks, crouching down to see the red object. It was a small, ruby necklace. He picked it up and held it, turning it in his fingers. Bill didn’t notice how much Sage was barking or the fact that the train wasn’t far.

Frank heard his dog’s barks and stepped outside to see what was causing her to freak out. He saw the teen up at the tracks and gasped. “Conner!!” The man froze when it registered what name he called Bill. He looked away before quickly going inside from embarrassment.

Bill jumped from the sudden shout and he looked over to finally realize the train was coming. He quickly jumped off the tracks and hurried down the hill. The fox that was stalking him turned to run off. Sage didn’t stop growling until the threat was gone. Bill petted her softly then looked at the necklace he kept. 

By the time Bill returned inside with Sage, Frank was sitting on the couch. He was staring at the tv, trying to forget he called Bill Connor.

The teen sat down next to him. “...W-Was Connor your son?”

Frank didn’t respond for a while. When Bill attempted to leave the couch, the man spoke. “I always told him to not play on those tracks... Trains can’t stop on a dime.” He mumbled. “He...” Frank sighed heavily. “He would have been your age this September. I should have been watching more...” His voice wavered as if he could cry but he fought it back.

Bill blinked then looked at the necklace. “Is this important?” He asked, showing it to him.

Frank’s eyes widened in disbelief as he took the necklace. “This... This was his mother’s necklace. He always kept it with him. I guess it must have fell off when...” He closed it in his hand and closed his eyes. Bill sat quietly with him.

After a while, Frank sighed again and looked over at Bill.  “Promise me you won’t do anything stupid to get yourself killed...”

“...I promise...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really feel like Bill in this chapter XD   
> Just frustrated and angry that life isn't going right


End file.
